Pollution Control Plan
Date Plan Created/Updated
A draft plan is in progress.
Process for Creating SPD/Plan
A draft plan is in progress. The plan will be a mixture of Water Resource Inventory Areas 16 and 17 plans and the Hood Canal Regional Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) Monitoring Plan.
Links to Pollution Control Plan
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Pollution Source: On-Site Sewage System (OSS)
Identifying Potential Pollution Source
Jefferson County has found that freshwater water quality monitoring at the marine interface (intertidal zone) as well as tracking complaints are the most reliable and efficient ways of finding problem OSS. Comprehensive stream monitoring is useful in finding OSS issues, although it is energy intensive. Six stream flow gauges are used; loadings are not generally calculated. Ambient freshwater samples are taken on a rotating basis, with the goal of sampling one drainage basin every other year in most of the CWD. There are approximately 20 stream sites in each basin, plus about 200 miles of shoreline monitoring. There are about 150 total sampling stations in Jefferson County.
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is notified when confirmed problem areas are found. Problems are defined and corrected based on Jefferson County Ordinance 06-0517-12, which allows Jefferson County Environmental Health to enforce septic violations. The Jefferson County Code 8.15.150 requires OSS Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for all new systems. Existing systems must be monitored at time of sale, upon issuing new permits, or if a Marine Recovery Area (MRA) is designated. In 2013, Jefferson County allowed homeowners to inspect their own systems, provided they are authorized and pay the $50 inspection filing fee.
Validating Source of Pollution
Dye tests are used when appropriate to confirm connectivity with local surface waters. A Microbial Source Tracking (MST) study in 2012 confirmed the presence of human indicators throughout the basin.
Verifying Pollution Source Has Been Corrected
Follow-up sampling is conducted after OSS repairs when appropriate.
Establishing a Threshold (concentration, number of counts or flow rate)
Jefferson County complies with Washington State water quality standards. High fecal coliform counts are defined as a minimum of 500 organisms per 100 mL of water. For shoreline sampling, the County uses 100 counts of E. Coli as a threshold. Sampling results are only used to coordinate with property owners and encourage them to improve their behaviors. To be confirmed as failing, an OSS must have high sampling levels, a confirmed dye test, and/or visible surfacing sewage.
Pollution Source: Agriculture
Identifying Potential Pollution Source
The Jefferson County Conservation District (JCD) leads water quality monitoring on agricultural lands and provides a number of reports on their website. Jefferson County contracts with the JCD for some water quality monitoring. Water quality monitoring by JCD informs landowners, the county, and the JCD about pollution in every stream in East Jefferson County. Although JCD does not have enforcement ability on agricultural lands, water quality data informs interested landowners and helps push them to implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs). Sharing the data with Jefferson County Health Department allows for the detection of OSS problems. This strong working relationship between the County and DOH creates an efficient way to monitor water quality with limited resources at the county.
Validating Source of Pollution
A MST study in 2012 confirmed the presence of ruminant indicators in many locations throughout the basin.
Verifying Pollution Source Has Been Corrected
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Other Pollution Sources
Pet Waste
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Wastewater Treatment Plants
Port Hadlock Urban Growth Area has plans for sewer. Other existing wastewater treatment plants include Port Townsend (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)), Port Ludlow (NPDES), Fort Flagler (NPDES), Naval Magazine Indian Island.
Other (including wildlife, stormwater, marinas)
The Mystery Bay boater management plan will be replicated in South Port Townsend Bay. Further pollution goals include working with Department of Natural Resources to identify moorage buoys and derelict vessels.
Port Townsend is not a phase I or II NPDES permit holder, nor does it have combined sewage overflows. A first round of pathogen sampling in Port Townsend stormwater outfalls was done in Northeast Jefferson Clean Water Project. The Department of Community Development provides training on low impact development issues at its Watershed Stewardship Resource Center.