Kitsap County Stormwater System Operation & Maintenance

Maintaining effective stormwater facilities to reduce water pollution

For Kitsap County, maintenance is the foundation of a properly functioning drainage and stormwater treatment system. This system includes: 670 stormwater facilities where runoff from roads is captured and held to slow water flow and allow sediments to settle out before the water flows into streams to drain to Puget Sound; 195 green stormwater projects that filter stormwater runoff through vegetation and soils to remove pollution; and over 11,000 catch basins, which are those drains you see in curbs, where polluted sediment settles in vaults before the stormwater is directed into waterways. Pollutants like oil and other toxics from roads and parking lots bind to sediment in stormwater, so removing that sediment from stormwater before the water flows out to Puget Sound prevents toxics from entering the Sound. Polluted sediment must be periodically removed from all those stormwater facilities to ensure that it stays out of Puget Sound and also to ensure that the facilities don’t get clogged. The County tracks the type, size, location and condition of each pipe, catch basin. and water quality/flow control facility. Properly maintaining these facilities prevents toxic chemical and pollution from stormwater from reaching Puget Sound, prolongs the life of the system, and reduces localize flooding.

What worked in 2018:

Properly maintaining stormwater facilities prevents toxics from entering Puget Sound and prevents localized flooding.
Cleaning 6,808 catch basins prevent toxic chemical and pollutants from entering rivers and streams that drain to Puget Sound.
Cleaning removes over 2,000 tons of solids each year.
Removing sediment prevented 12,940 tons of solids and 2,772 gallons of oil from reaching Puget Sound from 2012-2018.

Benefits: