OLYMPIA – Rep. Victoria Hunt, D-Issaquah, passed her first bill off the House floor this week. House Bill 1670 requires the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to make certain sewage spill information publicly available via a website, a public notification system, and the publication of annual sewage spill reports. The bill aims to better inform the public, helping Washingtonians avoid recreating in sewage-contaminated waters.
“Nobody should be surprised by a sewage spill,” said Rep. Hunt. “Not when you’re fishing, or kayaking, and certainly not when you’re swimming with your children, but currently there is a chance that you might be surprised.”
Under the federal Clean Water Act, water discharge permit holders are required to notify Ecology in a timely manner after a spill. While those notifications occur, the information is not made publicly available.
“You should not learn about a sewage spill while you are swimming in the water,” said Hunt. “This legislation addresses this problem. It gives people more information about sewage spills. This way you can advocate for clean water, which is important for our communities and wildlife, and you can make informed decisions before getting out your fishing pole, getting in a kayak, or going for a swim.”
The bill passed the House on a unanimous vote of 96-0 and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.