Executive Summary

1.1    Overall Vision

1.2    Important Aspects of the Utility

1.3    Challenges

General Challenges

Flooding Challenges

Water Quality Challenges

Aquatic Habitat Challenges

1.4    Summary of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

1.5    Summary of Capital Projects

Tables

Table ES-1    Strategies

Table ES-2    20 Year Capital Improvement Program

Every day Olympia’s Storm and Surface Water Utility activities help to prevent flooding of homes, businesses, and roads; minimize the amount of contaminants such as sediments and petroleum that enter water bodies; and protect and restore valuable aquatic habitat. The Utility’s activities include stormwater system maintenance, public education and outreach, and capital project design and construction.

The Utility’s mission is to reduce flooding, improve water quality, and protect and enhance aquatic habitat in Olympia.

The Utility’s built stormwater system consists of 160 miles of underground pipe, 7,400 catch basins, 1,400 manholes, 167 flow control structures, and 129 stormwater treatment facilities. This system carries stormwater runoff from roads and hard surfaces to streams and Budd Inlet. An additional 20.7 miles of combined sewer pipe, maintained by the City’s Wastewater Utility, conveys stormwater to the LOTT Clean Water Alliance Budd Inlet Treatment Plant. The natural elements of the stormwater system include swales and small drainage courses, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and Puget Sound.

The Storm and Surface Water Plan contains policy and financial guidance for the Utility in constructing, operating, maintaining, and improving its built infrastructure and natural elements for the next ten years.

1.1 Overall Vision

The City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan contains the vision residents share for Olympia’s future. This vision is organized around the following topics:

•    Public Participation and Partners

•    Natural Environment

•    Land Use and Urban Design

•    Transportation

•    Utilities

•    Public Health, Parks, Arts and Recreation

•    Economy

•    Public Services

•    Capital Facilities

The Utility’s activities work toward achieving the Comprehensive Plan vision, including these statements:

•    Natural Environment. “Though our population will increase, our air and water will be cleaner and wildlife habitat will be preserved to maintain a biologically healthy diversity of species. Salmon will return and spawn in the streams where they were born. Seals, sea lions, orcas, and otters will roam the waters of southern Puget Sound.”

•    Utilities. “Our improved water treatment and reduced wastewater and storm water discharge will support abundant aquatic life in Budd Inlet and our local streams. A majority of Olympia households will be using urban organic compost on their landscapes. Artificial fertilizers no longer contaminate local water bodies.”

1.2 Important Aspects of the Utility

The purpose of Olympia’s Storm and Surface Water Utility is to protect public and environmental health by ensuring that surface water runoff is collected and infiltrated or conveyed to streams, rivers, and Puget Sound with the aim of reducing the frequency and severity of flooding, improving water quality, and protecting, enhancing, and restoring aquatic habitat.

The Utility provides storm and surface water services to residents and businesses within Olympia City limits. Properties located in Olympia’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) are served by the Thurston County Stormwater Management Utility.

Utility systems and services are designed and managed with the basic understanding that surface water flows through the natural environment. The built infrastructure is designed to channel the water in such a way as to maintain and protect the natural systems, including swales and small drainage courses, streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and Puget Sound.

The Utility has a total of 21.6 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff in Planning and Engineering, Operations, and Environmental Services. Their work is organized into nine core services:

•    Long-Range Planning

•    Asset Management

•    Technical Review and Support

•    Flood Prevention

•    Emergency Response

•    Pollution Prevention

•    Habitat Management

•    Capital Facility Program

•    Utility Administration and Support

The Utility’s success at resolving flooding problems has created an opportunity to focus increasingly on water quality improvement, habitat protection, and scheduled replacement of aging pipe systems.

Community education is essential to accomplishing the Utility’s goals. Activities for citizens, landowners, and businesses are aimed at increasing awareness and changing behaviors to prevent flooding, and improve water quality and aquatic habitat. In its educational activities, the Utility collaborates with other utilities, neighboring jurisdictions, and organizations.

1.3 Challenges

The Utility has made considerable progress in its first 30 years. As it embarks on its next phase, the Utility faces numerous challenges. The key challenges are described below.

General Challenges

•    Equitable and Predictable Rates and Fees. Creating predictability for customers and developers is difficult in a complex and changing regulatory environment.

•    Legacy Development. Most of Olympia’s stormwater infrastructure was constructed prior to the current rigorous storm drainage design regulations. Retrofits of older neighborhoods without modern stormwater control and treatment systems are a logistical and financial challenge, but are often necessary to improve flooding, water quality, and aquatic habitat.

•    Reliance on Choices by Individuals. The Utility’s work is highly influenced by the cumulative impact of individual behaviors.

•    Land Development Pressure. Increasing population density will both create challenges for water quality and provide opportunities to retrofit and concentrate treatment.

•    Climate Change and Sea Level Rise. Changing climate in the Pacific Northwest likely will influence aquatic habitats due to warmer temperatures, reduced precipitation in the summer, increased precipitation in other seasons, and a rising sea level. Older stormwater infrastructure will be the most vulnerable to overflows associated with more frequent and intense storm events, which could result in more localized flooding.

Flooding Challenges

•    Asset Management. Understanding the condition of the Utility’s stormwater infrastructure (both built and natural) informs replacement and maintenance decisions and is referred to as “asset management.” Although significant staff effort has been dedicated to improving the Utility’s understanding of the stormwater infrastructure, additional work is required to fully implement a robust asset management program.

•    Low Impact Development (LID). The City’s 2016 Drainage and Erosion Control Manual requires LID in all new development. The sheer number of such facilities and the intensive maintenance required will likely make LID facilities more complex to manage than more traditional stormwater facilities.

Water Quality Challenges

•    Increasing Permit Requirements. To discharge stormwater into “waters of the United States,” the City must obtain and keep current a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Stormwater Discharge Permit. Permit requirements are continually being revised and expanded.

•    Reliance on the Public for Nonpoint Pollution Prevention. The Utility is challenged in helping people understand their contribution to nonpoint sources of pollutants and the impact individuals have on water quality.

Aquatic Habitat Challenges

•    Multiple Public/Private Ownership. Habitat is located within a complex landscape of many large and small parcels under public and private ownership. The Utility has limited authority on private property and must rely on voluntary programs, education and outreach, and incentives to encourage stewardship on private properties.

•    Habitat Fragmentation. Large intact habitat areas are important for both wildlife and protection of aquatic resources. Maintaining and improving the habitat quality of these areas requires tools and strategies that work across the landscape.

•    Legacy Impacts of Urban Development. Maintaining functional habitat in an urban landscape is challenging and requires creativity and flexibility to protect remaining habitat areas and maintain their health, while working to enhance and restore key habitats where possible.

1.4 Summary of Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

In this Plan, “goal”, “objective“, and “strategy” have the following meanings:

•    Goal: Broad, qualitative statement of what the Storm and Surface Water Utility intends to achieve.

•    Objective: Specific, measurable statement of what will be done to achieve the goals within a particular time period.

•    Strategy: General approach or method for achieving objectives and resolving specific issues. A strategy speaks to the question: “How will we go about accomplishing our objectives?”

The Utility will focus on achieving the following goals and objectives during the next ten years:

Goal 1

Reduce the frequency and severity of flooding so hazards are eliminated.

Objective 1A

Improve the stormwater system in areas that are vulnerable to flooding.

Objective 1B

Prepare for emergency response during storm events.

Objective 1C

Mitigate the effects of urban stormwater runoff by implementing low impact development techniques.

Objective 1D

Plan for the anticipated impacts of sea level rise.

Goal 2

Improve surface water quality.

Objective 2A

Prioritize source control of pollution citywide.

Objective 2B

Retrofit stormwater treatment in areas of the City with little or no water quality treatment.

Objective 2C

Educate the community about water quality with emphasis on how people can be a part of the solution.

Objective 2D

Partner with other agencies, jurisdictions, and organizations in order to leverage water quality planning projects.

Objective 2E

Comply with all federal and state permits and regulations.

Goal 3

Protect, enhance, and restore aquatic habitat functions provided by wetlands,     streams, lakes, marine shorelines, and riparian areas.

Objective 3A

Protect intact aquatic habitat from degradation.

Objective 3B

Enhance aquatic habitat that is already impaired.

Objective 3C

Restore degraded aquatic habitat to increase ecosystem function.

Objective 3D

Participate in and give technical support to City and regional environmental planning efforts and implementation projects.

Objective 3E

Increase community awareness of aquatic habitat function and benefits through outreach, education, and volunteer activities.

Goal 4

Ensure reliable functioning of the built and natural stormwater infrastructure.

Objective 4A

Develop and implement an asset management program for the built and natural infrastructure.

Objective 4B

Design and construct infrastructure to ensure reliable, cost effective function.

Objective 4C

Further develop and implement the Utility’s private and public stormwater system inspection programs.

Objective 4D

Continue to improve maintenance management, including preventive maintenance, repairs, and replacements.

Goal 5

Manage Utility finances responsibly and recover costs equitably.

Objective 5A

Set rates that reflect financial policies and recover the cost of providing services to customers in each category.

Objective 5B

Manage Utility rates and connection fees consistent with the City’s guiding principle of growth paying for growth.

Objective 5C

Use debt financing responsibly to support needed capital facility investments and “smooth” rate impacts.

After analyzing existing conditions (Chapters 6-8) and developing goals and objectives, Utility staff crafted strategies to achieve Plan objectives and meet key challenges. The Utility proposes two types of strategies: those that continue the Utility’s existing core services (Chapter 9) and those that enhance existing services. Table ES-1 is an index of Plan strategies, identifying whether they are continuations and/or enhancements of the Utility’s nine core services.

Taken together, the goals, objectives and strategies presented here offer a roadmap for the Utility’s direction over the next ten years.

Table ES-1 Strategies

Storm and Surface Water Utility Core Services Key
AM	Asset Management	FP	Flood Prevention	PP	Pollution Prevention
CFP	Capital Facility Program	HM	Habitat Management	TR	Technical Review
ER	Emergency Response	LRP	Long Range Planning	UA	Utility Admin

Strategies		Enhance	Continue
Goal 1 – Reduce the frequency and severity of flooding so hazards are eliminated
1-1	Identify conveyance capacity problems in the City system. Develop a priority ranking procedure for correcting flooding issues.	CFP	FP
1-2	Evaluate possibilities for regional, City-owned detention facilities and support design and construction where determined feasible through basin planning.	CFP FP
1-3	Evaluate existing public stormwater detention facilities for effectiveness and potential improvements.	CFP FP
1-4	Provide information to customers to help investigate and solve drainage issues at their homes or businesses.		TR
1-5	Ensure public and private development complies with the City of Olympia Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual.		TR
1-6	Provide public education and outreach on how to reduce stormwater runoff.		FP
1-7	Develop post-construction inspection and maintenance capabilities for public stormwater facilities. Focus should be on LID implementation, staffing, and training.	FP
1-8	Map impervious and pervious surfaces and track implementation of LID stormwater facility installations.		AM
1-9	Encourage use of permeable paving materials and native vegetation in Public Works construction projects.		TR
1-10	Consolidate downtown outfalls to improve manageability.	FP CFP
1-11	Install tide gates on downtown outfalls to reduce flood risks.	FP CFP
1-12	Consider separation of storm drainage from combined sewers to protect wastewater treatment plant (LOTT).	FP CFP
1-13	Develop structural alternatives to mitigate long-term or projected sea level rise impacts.	FP CFP
1-14	Provide emergency response training to staff.		FP ER
1-15	Respond in a timely manner to emergencies with adequate resources.		FP ER
1-16	Coordinate with other City departments, agencies and local entities to be prepared for emergencies.		FP ER
1-17	Partner with Planning & Engineering, Olympia Fire Department, State and local agencies to develop and implement emergency response plans in the downtown core.		FP ER
1-18	Perform inspections, maintenance, repairs, and installations of Utility infrastructure in anticipation of sea level rise.		PP
Goal 2 – Improve surface water quality
2-1	Provide education and outreach about water quality with emphasis on how to reduce or eliminate behaviors and practices that contribute to negative stormwater impacts.		TR PP
2-2	Support the City’s temporary erosion and sediment control inspection and enforcement program.	TR	PP LRP
2-3	Maintain and improve the program to address illicit discharges, including spills and illicit connections.	PP
2-4	Adopt regulations that expand and simplify enforcement of illicit discharges.	LRP
2-5	Develop a street sweeping program focused on improving water quality. (See also Strategy 4-26.)	PP
2-6	Develop a business pollution prevention program that includes coordination with adjacent jurisdictions.	PP
2-7	Map and evaluate drainage sub-basins to determine their level of water quality treatment and help prioritize projects that will provide higher levels of water quality treatment.		AM
2-8	Develop a program to evaluate and prioritize retrofits of existing untreated pollution generating infrastructure.	CFP	PP
2-9	Develop a rate structure to incentivize retrofitting private stormwater systems to provide higher levels of water quality treatment.	UA	AM LRP
2-10	Continue to monitor the health and water quality of City streams and lakes.		PP
2-11	Ensure stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs) are developed and implemented for all heavy equipment and/or material storage facilities owned or operated by the City.	PP	AM LRP
2-12	Develop and implement a plan to identify and evaluate onsite septic systems in priority watersheds (Indian, Moxlie, and Mission).	PP
2-13	Coordinate with the LOTT Clean Water Alliance to evaluate options for providing higher levels of water quality treatment, particularly in coordination with consolidation of the stormwater conveyance system associated with sea level rise.	LRP
2-14	Develop and implement an integrated pest management plan in coordination with other City departments.	LRP HM
2-15	Update annually Olympia’s Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to document the City’s plan for ongoing compliance with the Western Washington Phase II Municipal Stormwater Permit.		PP
2-16	Enforce Olympia’s Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual.	TR
2-17	Provide technical assistance to other City departments to ensure ongoing permit compliance.		TR
2-18	Participate in development of Total Maximum Daily Loading (TMDL) plans and implement resulting required actions.	PP	LRP
2-19	Ensure inspection and maintenance standards for private and public stormwater treatment facilities are being met.	AM PP	TR
2-20	Develop sediment tracking program for management of sources through maintenance activities (street sweeping, ponds, catch basin, ditch maintenance, etc.)	PP
2-21	Investigate sources of pollutants of concern citywide.		PP
2-22	Respond, document and report spills in a timely manner.		TR PP
2-23	Develop a pollution prevention training and tracking program for field staff with responsibilities in Illicit Discharge Detention and Elimination (IDDE)/Spills, Erosion Control, and O&M.	PP
Goal 3 – Protect, enhance, and restore aquatic habitat functions provided by wetlands, streams, lakes, marine shorelines, and riparian areas (Chapter 8).
3-1	Collaborate with other agencies, tribes, and community organizations to support stream, riparian, wetland, and shoreline enhancement and restoration, fish passage, and adaptation to climate change/sea level rise.	HM LRP CFP
3-2	Collaborate with other departments to develop a comprehensive integrated pest management strategy to guide noxious weed control and vegetation management efforts.	HM LRP
3-3	Develop and implement vegetation and habitat management plans for City-owned properties containing aquatic and associated habitat to improve habitat, protect water quality, and support native species.	HM LRP
3-4	Identify and acquire important habitat areas or easements (collaborating with internal and external partners).	HM LRP	CFP
3-5	Identify and manage invasive species in aquatic and associated habitats to protect habitat and water quality functions.	HM LRP	AM
3-6	Identify important corridors and support efforts linking important habitats across the City and adjacent jurisdictions.	AM LRP
3-7	Identify, prioritize, and implement aquatic habitat protection and enhancement opportunities by watershed to enhance and restore ecosystem function (i.e. implement the Habitat Stewardship Strategy).	LRP	HM
3-8	Influence and assess effectiveness of City regulations that protect aquatic resources (e.g. Critical Areas Ordinance and Shoreline Master Program).	LRP
3-9	Manage beaver activity to provide habitat and water quality benefits while mitigating flooding risk.	LRP FP	HM
3-10	Manage vegetation in riparian areas in order to improve habitat and water quality functions.	HM	AM
3-11	Monitor aquatic habitat quality and quantity based on the best scientific information, methods, and tools available.	LRP HM AM
3-12	Participate in regional planning to support salmon and Puget Sound recovery (e.g. WRIA 13 and Alliance for a Healthy South Sound).		LRP
3-13	Provide outreach and education to the community around aquatic habitat, wildlife and ecosystem function (wetlands, streams, marine shoreline, lakes, buffers and associated wildlife).	HM
3-14	Provide focused outreach, technical assistance and incentives to private properties containing aquatic and associated habitats, while promoting voluntary stewardship.	HM LRP TR
3-15	Provide technical support to City projects with aquatic permitting requirements (e.g. CWA 401/404 and HPA) or that are specifically habitat related.		TR LRP
3-16	Support partners and community efforts to protect, steward, and restore aquatic and associated habitats.	LRP HM TR CFP
Goal 4 – Ensure reliable functioning of the built and natural stormwater infrastructure.
4-1	Continue to maintain and improve mapping/geodatabase.		AM
4-2	Continue pipe condition rating program.		AM FP
4-3	Continue catch basin and manhole inspection and cleaning program.		AM PP
4-4	Develop a natural infrastructure asset management program	AM HM
4-5	Provide operational support and feedback to engineering staff regarding location, function, constructability and maintenance of Utility infrastructure improvements.		CFP
4-6	Require development to construct stormwater infrastructure in compliance with the Olympia Drainage Design and Erosion Control Manual and the Engineering Design and Development Standards.		TR
4-7	Design and plan the Utility’s capital improvements to complement natural infrastructure.	CFP HM
4-8	Comply with NPDES permit requirements.		PP
4-9	Develop SOPs for inspections preventive maintenance and correction programs	LRP
4-10	Enhance public outreach and education for stormwater system functions, operations and maintenance.		PP FP
4-11	Develop enforcement capabilities (facilities to be maintained for the design purpose) in Olympia Municipal Code (OMC).	LRP
4-12	Develop level of service standards for public stormwater facilities.	AM
4-13	Monitor resources through work order system and identify any additional needs.	AM
4-14	Expand inspections beyond NPDES permit requirements.	PP TR	AM
4-15	Keep current with training as new technologies and techniques emerge.		UA
4-16	Update emergency response processes and procedures regularly.		ER
4-17	Develop and implement a sea level rise response plan. Use the best available science and the experiences of other communities in formulating plans for sea level rise. Partner with government entities and key stakeholders. Engage the community in a discussion of various sea level rise scenarios, how the City will respond to lessen the impact and costs.	LRP FP
4-18	Annually update the Storm and Surface Water component of the City’s Capital Facilities Plan.		CFP
4-19	Develop a priority ranking system for proposed capital projects.	CFP
4-20	Integrate data-based decision making processes into section programs.		AM
4-21	Develop CCTV program to provide long term condition rating, investigation, and emergency response.	AM
4-22	Continue cleaning and inspection program.		AM FP
4-23	Transition vegetation and LID maintenance programs from Environmental Services to Stormwater Operations.	HM FP
4-24	Develop and implement field-based data collection tools for public and private stormwater utility infrastructure.	AM	FP PP
4-25	Implement basin approach to utility infrastructure maintenance with an emphasis on sediment management.	AM	FP PP
4-26	Implement a street sweeping program to remove sediment before it enters the stormwater system. (See also Strategy 2-5.)	AM
4-27	Perform stormwater system repairs and maintenance based on utility wide priorities.		AM FP
4-28	Manage sediment in a manner that complies with applicable regulations and is done in a cost-efficient manner.		PP
4-29	Identify essential training and safety benchmarks by job classification.		UA
4-30	Develop employee training program to meet training and safety benchmarks by job classification.		UA
Goal 5 – Manage Utility finances responsibly and recover costs equitably
5-1	Continue the capital funding strategy that utilizes existing resources from reserves and general facility charges first before relying on debt financing.		UA
5-2	Pursue grants and state low-interest loans when available.		UA
5-3	Perform operations and maintenance of utility infrastructure in a fiscally thoughtful and strategic manner which reflects positively on the utility.		UA
5-4	Evaluate alternative rate structures and pursue implementation if found beneficial.		UA
5-5	Develop incentives for stormwater retrofit.		UA
5-6	Coordinate regular rate studies with the City’s other water resources utilities, so that the full impact of rate increases on customers is considered and rates are equitably distributed to customers		UA
5-7	Review general facilities charges regularly to ensure that they accurately and equitably distribute system costs to new development and are adjusted for inflation.		UA

1.5 Summary of Capital Projects

Table ES-2 lists the Capital Projects recommended for construction during the next twenty years.

View Table ES-2 20 Year Capital Improvement Program