State adopts new clean water rule

Following extensive outreach, the Department of Ecology adopted a water quality rule that safeguards the health of Washington’s people and its economy.

The fish consumption rule, as it is widely known, updates Washington’s water quality standards for toxics, establishing how clean our lakes, rivers and marine waters need to be. The standards set pollution limits for businesses and municipalities that discharge wastewater. They are based, in part, on the amount of toxics contained in the fish that people eat from Washington waters and are required by the federal Clean Water Act.

Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its own draft rule for Washington. EPA would be required to adopt its rule if the state failed to complete a rule.

Ecology sent the new state rule to EPA for approval. Under the federal Clean Water Act, EPA has 60 days to approve, or 90 days to disapprove, the state rule.