Drafter
Clerk 11/28/2022
title
A MOTION acknowledging receipt of the report on toxics in King County wastewater effluent, evaluating the presence of toxics in the effluent of treatment plants, as described in Ordinance 19210, Section 112, Proviso P4.
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WHEREAS, the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget, Ordinance 19210, Section 112, Proviso P4, requires the executive to transmit a report on toxics in King County wastewater effluent, evaluating the presence of toxics in the effluent of treatment plants, and
WHEREAS, the report requires the following:
A. The evaluation shall be based on testing of the undiluted effluent of treatment plants and shall be compared with chemical elements being discharged as industrial wastes into the wastewater collection system; sampling of effluents shall be timed to include at least one seasonal period of high winter discharge volumes;
B. The evaluation shall address and report on the presence, origin, volume, toxicity, environmental fate, and impacts to the marine environment from toxics, including metals, volatile organic compounds, chemicals of emerging concern and other toxics in the undiluted effluent of treatment plants;
C. While the evaluation shall be as broad as possible within costs, to the extent necessary to narrow the scope of the evaluation, in light of the extensive range of potentially toxic elements, the focus shall be on:
1. Those elements considered most toxic to the marine environment generally; and
2. Those elements considered potentially toxic to Southern Resident Orcas and the hierarchy of marine species upon which the Southern Resident Orcas depend;
D. The evaluation shall assess whole effluent toxicity of the discharges, to assess the impact of the complex mix of toxic elements on marine species. The assessment shall be designed to indicate whether undiluted wastewater effluent represents a potential source of deleterious toxic influence to Puget Sound marine organisms, and to Southern Resident ...

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