Greta Jimenez
Puget Sound, a rich source of resources and sustenance for indigenous people for thousands of years, has been facing a variety of environmental issues due to pollution. Pollution in Puget Sound comes from a range of sources, including city sewage, stormwater runoff, logging, farming, and industrial dumping. These sources introduce a variety of contaminants into the water, including bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and nutrients such as nitrogen and organic carbon. The high levels of nitrogen in the water, largely from human urine, contribute to excess plant and algae growth, which then die and decompose, consuming oxygen and creating low-oxygen zones that threaten fish and other aquatic life. The absorption of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel use and deforestation also leads to the acidification of the water, negatively impacting marine organisms such as shellfish, plankton, and fish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sources of pollution | Oil spills, pharmaceuticals, industrial dumping, sewage, stormwater runoff, logging, farming, and manure |
| Types of pollutants | Nitrogen, organic carbon, heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, dioxins, bacteria, silt, sediment, and invasive species |
| Impact | Harm to Chinook salmon, orca whales, fish, and wildlife, including reduced ability to reproduce, lowered energy levels, and abnormal behavior |
| Action required | Reducing nitrogen pollution from sewage treatment plants, upgrading wastewater treatment plants, and addressing other sources of excess nutrients |
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Stormwater runoff
The Puget Sound basin sees an average of more than 370 billion gallons of stormwater runoff each year. This stormwater has been found to contain at least 33 known pollutants, including metals, nutrients, suspended solids, fecal coliform, oils and grease, petroleum, zinc, copper, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These pollutants have been shown to have detrimental effects on the environment, including killing up to 80% of migrating coho salmon before they have had a chance to spawn.
The Washington State Department of Ecology considers stormwater runoff to be the biggest water pollution problem in the urban areas of Washington State. To combat this issue, the Department of Ecology has implemented industrial stormwater permits that regulate what can be discharged into local waterways. However, enforcement of these permits has been inconsistent, and many sites bypass best practices.
Organizations such as RE Sources and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance are working to address the issue of stormwater runoff in Puget Sound. RE Sources leads a community science volunteer program that samples stormwater outfalls and streams flowing into Bellingham Bay. Puget Soundkeeper works to create policies, enforce pollution permits, and educate the public about best practices to reduce stormwater pollution.
Individuals can also play a role in mitigating stormwater runoff. This includes reducing runoff from personal property, properly maintaining vehicles, and disposing of pet waste properly.
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Industrial dumping
The history of industrial dumping in Puget Sound dates back to the 1920s when the first pulp mills discharged large amounts of toxic substances, like dioxins used in paper bleaching. This had devastating effects on the shellfish industry in the region, and residual contamination at some sites remains an issue. While state permits for wastewater discharges were introduced in 1955, and treatment of discharges began in the early 1960s, industrial facilities continue to release significant amounts of pollution into the Sound.
Today, industrial wastewater is often contaminated with a range of toxic substances, including heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. These pollutants enter the Puget Sound food web, harming Chinook salmon, orca whales, and numerous other species of wildlife. The impact of this toxic pollution includes reproductive issues, decreased energy levels, impaired disease resistance, and behavioural changes such as the inability to avoid predators.
In addition to direct industrial discharges, polluted stormwater runoff is a significant contributor to industrial dumping in Puget Sound. Rainwater washes chemicals, fertilizers, oil, auto fluids, and litter off roads and sidewalks, carrying them directly into waterways. This form of non-point source pollution is challenging to regulate due to its diffuse nature, and it poses a severe threat to the health of the Sound, with urban runoff capable of killing fish within a few hours.
The Clean Water Act and the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) aim to control pollutants and protect water quality. However, enforcement and compliance remain critical issues, with Washington state agencies facing criticism for their lack of regulatory action and inadequate water quality standards.
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Sewage treatment plants
Nitrogen discharged from over 100 sewage treatment plants is sucking the oxygen out of the water, causing massive algae blooms, increases in Puget Sound jellyfish, and changes in the food web. The Department of Ecology predicts that with population increases and climate change impacts, the problem will only worsen.
Most wastewater treatment facilities were not designed to effectively control nutrient pollution. Many of them are still utilizing technology from the 1950s and 1970s, which was state-of-the-art at the time but has since been outdated. When the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, it established new standards for what could be discharged into the nation's waters, but many facilities have not upgraded their treatment systems to meet these standards.
To address this issue, Ecology recently announced a preliminary determination to develop a Nutrients General Permit that applies to wastewater treatment plants in Puget Sound. This means that, in addition to individual Clean Water Act Permits, sewage treatment plants will also have to comply with a general Clean Water Act Permit to reduce nutrients. However, some critics argue that Ecology is not doing enough to regulate the discharge of nitrogen and is instead issuing blanket permits that allow sewage treatment plants to continue discharging at current levels.
The permit should apply to all wastewater treatment plants in the Puget Sound watershed, not just those discharging directly into the Sound. Additionally, it should be paired with other necessary actions such as developing water quality criteria for nitrogen and phosphorus and implementing pollution cleanup plans for nutrient-impaired waters. Population growth and climate change are compounding pressures that make addressing sewage treatment plant pollution in Puget Sound even more urgent.
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Marine debris
Plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, known as microplastics, have been found in samples taken from every ocean on the planet. These microplastics are ingested by filter feeders like krill and mussels, accumulating in their gut and circulatory system. When other organisms eat these creatures, they take on the plastic burden, and so on up the food chain. Marine debris can also entangle, injure, or drown marine wildlife and damage property. Abandoned fishing gear, or "ghost nets," is a major problem in Puget Sound, and new technology is helping to remove these nets from the depths of the inlet.
The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance hosts cleanups, performs microplastic monitoring, and works to implement policy solutions to stop the flow of plastic and other litter into Puget Sound. They also provide tools and direction to volunteers interested in cleaning up beaches in their area. The Alliance is the regional organizer for the Puget Sound part of the International Coastal Cleanup, which in 2015 removed over 18 million pounds of trash from shorelines worldwide.
Toxic chemicals in Puget Sound enter, in large part, from the small, steady release of toxic chemicals in everyday products, such as vehicle brakes, flame retardants in furniture, plastic softeners, and building and roofing materials. These chemicals enter the sound through rivers and lakes. Toxins accumulate in fish and marine mammals, and scientists monitor water and sediment quality in Puget Sound and the surrounding waterways to gauge the environmental health of the ecosystem.
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Oil spills
The risk of oil spills in Puget Sound is expected to increase as the region's ports expand and more ships enter the water. Lower speed limits for ships, more onboard monitoring, rescue tugs, and double-hull fuel tank protection are proposed solutions to reduce the risk of spills. However, no measures can entirely eliminate the possibility of accidents.
To address the threat of oil spills, the Puget Sound Partnership formed an Oil Spill Work Group in 2010. This group worked with the Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee to create a Vessel Traffic Risk Assessment (VTRA) Steering Committee, which included representatives from various maritime industry sectors, environmental organizations, and government agencies. The group's efforts continue to inform policy and management decisions related to oil spill prevention and planning in the region.
In addition to the direct impacts on marine life and habitats, oil spills in Puget Sound can also have indirect effects. Oil can persist in the environment for an extended period, affecting the health of marine organisms over time. Oil spills can also contaminate beaches and shorelines, impacting recreational activities and tourism in the area. Furthermore, the cleanup and remediation efforts following oil spills can be challenging and expensive, requiring specialized equipment and techniques to minimize environmental damage effectively.
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Frequently asked questions
The main sources of pollution in Puget Sound are city sewage, stormwater, logging, farming, and industrial dumping.
Pollution has caused a range of environmental issues and problems in Puget Sound, including changes in water chemistry that make the marine water more acidic. This negatively affects marine life, such as shellfish, plankton, and fish, that require strong shells and skeletons. Pollution has also led to low-oxygen zones that threaten fish and other animals.
Efforts are being made to reduce pollution and protect Puget Sound. The Environmental Protection Agency has made nonpoint source pollution a priority, and organizations like the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance are working on issues related to polluted stormwater runoff and marine debris. The Washington State Department of Ecology has also shared a plan to address nutrient pollution in Puget Sound, aiming to reduce nitrogen levels and improve oxygen levels by 2050.
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