How do I report a water quality concern or illegal dumping into the drainage system?
Please immediately call Public Works at (425) 398-8900 to report water quality violations and illegal dumping. If you call after hours, on-call staff are available to receive your call. Pollutants discharged into the environment can often migrate from the area quickly. Prompt reporting is often needed in order to stop pollutants from spreading and allows the City to hold the responsible party accountable.
How does the drainage system work around my property or neighborhood?
The City has a map of the drainage system. When viewing the map, select "stormwater" from the layers menu and the City's entire drainage system will be available to view.
When will the surface water facility adjacent to my property be mowed?
City owned surface water facilities, such as ponds and water quality swales, are typically mowed between May and September. The City owns many facilities and each round of mowing may take 4 - 6 weeks depending on seasonal variations. The City will complete 2 - 3 rounds of mowing per year.
What should I do if I see a blocked catch basin (drain)?
If the catch basin is in a busy roadway or you do not feel safe near it, please call Public Works and someone will assist you. A catch basin may be blocked for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, leaves or debris may be blocking the opening into the catch basin (particularly in fall) and simply removing the blockage from around the surface of the structure will allow it to drain. If the catch basin appears to be backed up internally, please call Public Works.
Who is responsible for maintenance of ditches?
Adjacent property owners are responsible for maintaining vegetation and aesthetics of ditches. Additional information can be found by viewing the Right of Way Maintenance flyer. Public Works only conducts maintenance required for the structural integrity and function of the ditch.
Who is responsible for maintenance of the drainage system on my property?
Typically, the City only operates and maintains the drainage system in public right-of-way and on City owned properties. Maintenance of drainage systems on private property is typically the responsibility of the property owner unless a recorded easement was granted to the City (or King County) for the purpose of maintaining the drainage system.
Can I fill in my ditch to create extra parking?
No, ditch filling is generally not allowed. Drainage systems utilizing ditches are not designed to function the same as systems utilizing curbs, gutters and catch basins and intermittent ditch filling often leads to system wide issues, add polluted runoff and creates flooding problems downstream.
