​What is Stormwater, and why should I care about it?

Stormwater is rain and snow melt off rooftops, streets, highways, and parking lots. As stormwater runs, it collects pollutants, such as fertilizers, pesticides, soil, trash, etc, and eventually flows into streams, lakes, and The Puget Sound.

Image Credit: City of Bainbridge Island, WA

Stormwater and My Building or Development

As part of our permit processes at DCD,  one of the reviews your project will go through is for Stormwater Mitigation or what you will do with the stormwater runoff created by your home or project. Your project creates specific stormwater requirements based on how many square feet of hard surface (e.g., impervious surface, permeable pavement). The requirements come from The Washington Department of Ecology and are shown in the 2021 Kitsap County Stormwater Design Manual.

Creating My Stormwater Plan

The first step to determining the best stormwater mitigation for your project is to fill out the Stormwater Worksheet. This will ask you questions about your project and let you know your options for your Stormwater Plan. This worksheet will be a required submittal item for your permit application.