Sewer overflow violations cost Seattle, King County thousands of dollars

Seattle faces a total penalty of $71,000: $50,000 for 20 sanitary sewer overflows and $21,000 for seven wet weather overflows caused by failures to operate or maintain their system correctly.

King County’s penalty totals $46,000: $40,000 for issues at its wet weather treatment stations that treat combined sewer overflow water and $6,000 for two sanitary sewer overflows during wet weather.

Untreated or insufficiently treated sewage discharges contain bacteria and other pollutants that can make conditions unsafe for people and animals. Combined sewers carry both stormwater and sewage, and the city and county own and operate different parts of the combined sewer infrastructure within Seattle city limits.