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RWQC unanimously backs charter to guide regional wastewater plan update
Summary
The Metropolitan King County Regional Water Quality Committee voted to approve a resolution declaring support for a charter that sets roles, timelines and governance for the Regional Wastewater Services Plan (RWSP) update; the charter includes a mid-2029 transmittal and council adoption anticipated by end of 2029.
The Metropolitan King County Regional Water Quality Committee approved Resolution R2025-02 on Feb. 5, 2025, declaring the committee’s support for a charter to guide the multi‑year update of the Regional Wastewater Services Plan (RWSP). The resolution directs the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) to brief the committee on any proposed substantive changes to the charter.
The charter, which staff described as the foundational document for the RWSP update, lays out roles and responsibilities for WTD, the RWSP working group and regional advisory bodies. Jenny Giambattista, county council staff, told the committee the document was edited since the Jan. 16 meeting to clarify membership selection for the working group, to make reporting by non‑WTD working group members optional rather than mandatory, and to move detailed description of the “vision for clean water” process into an appendix.
The Housekeeping and timeline language added at the chair’s request specifies an intended transmittal of the RWSP update to the county executive and agencies in mid‑2029 and anticipates King County Council adoption by the end of 2029. Committee members including Vice Chair Deputy Mayor Mark and Council Member Lee said they supported the charter but flagged remaining questions about the timing and how financial policy conversations would be scheduled within the update process. Director Cameron Gurel of the Wastewater Treatment Division said staff expect flexibility; if the committee wants to front‑load particular policy discussions such as financial policies, WTD will endeavor to accommodate those shifts.
The resolution was moved by Deputy Mayor Mark and adopted by roll call. The clerk reported the vote as 8.5 yes and 0 no; the record of roll‑call “aye” responses included Council Member Lee, Deputy Mayor Mork, Deputy Mayor Moore, Mayor Rossman, Council Member Kettle, Commissioner Clark, Commissioner Warren, Council Member Dunne and Chair Claudia Balducci.
Committee members and WTD staff agreed the charter is meant to set a durable process for stakeholder engagement across the region but noted that financial policy work — including how rate and capacity charge choices interact with capital priorities — will require continued, detailed work as the update proceeds. The committee scheduled further briefings on the vision process, draft challenges and opportunities, and emerging themes in the months ahead.
