Rain too much for LOTT capacity

Overflow washes into Budd Inlet

By John Dodge | The Olympian • Published December 04, 2007

Monday was not a good day for Puget Sound water quality as record rains overwhelmed several wastewater treatment plants, including the LOTT Alliance plant in downtown Olympia, sending raw sewage into marine waters.

It marked the first time in 16 years that the Lacey, Olympia, Tum­water, Thurston County sewer partners couldn't treat all of the wastewater entering the treatment plant before discharging it to Budd Inlet.

Beginning early Monday morning and continuing into the evening, stormwater mixed with sewage bypassed the treatment plant process and was discharged directly into Budd Inlet through an emergency outfall pipe at Fiddlehead Marina.

As of 2:30 p.m., about 39 million gallons had entered the LOTT plant. Of that, 7.6 million gallons of untreated wastewater — most of it stormwater — entered Budd Inlet from the plant, according to Karla Fowler, director of planning and programs.

LOTT officials advised the public to steer clear of the marine waters and beaches in lower Budd Inlet, especially near the outfall, as a public health precaution.

With several wastewater treatment plants up and down the Puget Sound basin experiencing similar problems, state Department of Ecology officials recommended people avoid contact with marine waters for at least a week after the heavy rains subside.

Stormwater is a major pathway for all sorts of pollutants to enter Puget Sound, a problem that increases in severity during a record-setting storm.

"This is as toxic and full of bacteria and pathogens as it gets," Naki Stevens, director of programs for People for Puget Sound, said of Monday's stormwater runoff into Puget Sound.

Commercial shellfish harvesting in much of South Sound was shut down by the state Department of Health on Monday because of the threat of bacteria-laden stormwater reaching the shellfish-growing beaches, said Bob Woolrich, manager of the state agency's shellfish growing area program.

He recommended against recreational shellfish harvesting in much of South Sound and Hood Canal until several days after the storm subsides.