Bill > HB1678

This bill establishes a new fee and funding mechanism to address wastewater pollution in Puget Sound with the goal of protecting salmon populations. The legislation creates a 10-cent per gallon fee on untreated sewage discharged by municipal wastewater treatment plants and combined sewer overflow systems into Puget Sound or its connected waterways. The funds collected from this fee will be deposited into a new "enhanced wastewater treatment infrastructure for salmon recovery account" in the state treasury. These funds can only be used to provide grants to municipalities for wastewater treatment infrastructure projects specifically designed to remove excess nutrients from discharged water. The bill recognizes that untreated sewage containing nutrient-rich waste can harm aquatic ecosystems by causing eutrophication and reducing dissolved oxygen, which negatively impacts salmon and other marine species. The legislature frames this as a critical measure to fulfill treaty promises, protect a keystone species, and preserve the environmental, economic, and cultural value of Puget Sound. The bill also requires municipal wastewater operators to provide annual reports on untreated sewage discharges and establishes a uniform method for calculating discharge volumes.

Budget and Finance

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1678&Year=2025&Initiative=false