HomeMy WebLinkAbout749RESOLUTION 749
WHEREAS the protection and enhancement of environmental quality is a vital
concern of the Kent City Counci I; and
WHEREAS the preservation of water quality is a major environmental goal which
must be considered in relation to air quality, land use and energy conservatio
and
WHEREAS it is the purpose and goal of the Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle
to secure and maintain high standards of water quality for alI receiving water
within its jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS Public Law 92-500 of the 92nd Congress requires that alI publicly-
owned treatment works achieve "secondary treatment" by July I, 1977, prior to
the achievement of "best practicable treatment" by July I, 1983; and
WHEREAS secondary treatment of municipal discharges for removal of biochemical
oxygen demand lBODl is a process proven to be unnecessary to the preservation
of water quality in Puget Sound; and
WHEREAS construction and operation of secondary treatment facl lities would
impinge on valuable open space, and consume scarce energy resources; and
WHEREAS major water quality improvements other than secondary treatment, such
as toxicity and floatables removal and sewer separation, are considered to be
essential to receiving water quality; and
WHEREAS construction and operation of secondary treatment facilities at Metro'
four Puget Sound plants, including West Point, would double operating costs
and require a $55 mi I lion capital expenditure which might otherwise be used
for higher priority water pollution control projects by other local agencies
in the Seattle area; and
WHEREAS the rates charged our customers would reflect the expenditure· to meet
the secondary treatment requirements; and
WHEREAS this agency has higher priority water pollution control projects on
which funds need to be spent; and
WHEREAS limited allocations of federal funds wi II prevent the Municipality
from comp I eting top priority water qua I i ty projects wh i 1 e achieving both
"secondary treatment" by July 1, 1977, and "best practicable treatment" by
July I, 1983; and
WHEREAS a municipal system (Metro) must, at alI times, be in compliance with
the requirements of the Federal Act or modifications thereof, or no local
sewage project wi I I be eligible for Federal funds: and
WHEREAS there is, in fact, insufficient time for the Municipality to meet the
July I, 1977, deadline for "secondary treatment"; and
WHEREAS to maintain and insure high standards of water quality for the metro-
politan area at the earliest time and in the most cost-effective manner, it is
necessary that the Municipality proceed immediately with a program to provide
"b4'ist'pra~ctic:allte:trenmehtt:"'by July 1, 1983;
l .
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Kent urge the Congress to amend
the 1972 WATER VUALITY ACT to permit the Administrator of EPA to modify the
requirement of secondary treatment for any publicly-owned treatment works
discharging through deep water outfal Is into the Pacific Ocean and the con-
tiguous territorial seas upon application and proof satisfactory to the Adm-
inistrator that alternative treatment processes would produce an equal or
better environmental effect on the receiving waters for a lesser expenditure
of pub I ic resources.
PASSED at a regular Counci I meeting this 4th day of September, 1973.
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
~~E~
DONA DE. MIRK, C1ty Attorney
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Resolution
No 749, passed by the City Counci I of the City of Kent, Washi~ton the 4th
day of September, 1973.
/-~~
-IMRIE JENS~