Municipal Maintenance & Housekeeping
The City of Federal Way Surface Water Maintenance Division (SWM) was established in 1992. It is the goal of the division to prevent flooding and reduce the discharge of pollutants into lakes, streams, and the Puget Sound through the pro-active and effective maintenance of drainage infrastructure to include catch basins, manholes, and pipe, open channels and ditches, and residential and regional retention/detention (R/D) pond facilities. Currently, six workers (photo), including a supervisor, two lead persons, and three maintenance workers with a combined construction experience of almost 90 years, staff the division. Staff is charged with the maintenance of over 9,000 catch basins and manholes, 157 miles of pipe, almost 30 miles of open channel and ditch as well as 84 residential R/D ponds and six regional detention facilities.  Each year, as part of the annual work plan, maintenance activities are conducted in three major categories. The construction program includes the completion of several major maintenance projects designed to eliminate chronic flooding areas or problems, the repair of catch basins and manholes contained within the City's asphalt overlay program, and general construction activities such as ditch cleaning or repairing a broken pipe. The R/D pond program is focused primarily upon providing mowing and vegetation control services at the City's residential and regional R/D facilities, but also includes selective re-grading, exterior landscaping improvements, noxious weed control, and water quality improvements. Finally, the contracted services program is comprised of service contracts related to catch basin/manhole cleaning and street sweeping. The SWM staff is dedicated to providing services in an effective and efficient manner both during the business day and through the City's After-Hours Callout Service. The division is well prepared to respond to flooding, spills, and other emergencies that may arise 24 hours a day. During the business hours of 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, please report emergencies to the Public Works Department at (253) 835-2700. On weeknights, weekends, and holidays, citizens may contact the After-Hours Callout Service at (253) 946-6416. For more information related to specific service calls, emergencies, and contact information, please reference the Frequently Asked Questions.  Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Operations is one of the Phase II NPDES Permit minimum control measures. As a result, the City of Federal Way has implemented a Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping program for our own municipal operations. The Phase II permit requires us to examine and subsequently alter our own actions to help ensure a reduction in the amount and type of pollution that: (1) collects on streets, parking lots, open spaces, and storage and vehicle maintenance areas and is discharged into local waterways; and (2) results from actions such as poor maintenance of storm sewer systems. Recognizing the benefits of pollution prevention practices, the City has undertaken the following: - Implementation of an operation and maintenance program with the ultimate goal of preventing or reducing pollutant runoff from municipal operations into the storm sewer system;
- Development of individual Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) for Surface Water Maintenance, Streets, and Parks that include best management practices (BMPs); and
- Provided employee training on how to incorporate pollution prevention/good housekeeping techniques into municipal operations such as park and open space maintenance, fleet and building maintenance, field construction activities and land disturbances, and storm water system maintenance.
Manhole repair/replacement. Pond maintenance & regrade. The intent of the Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping Operations program is to ensure that existing municipal operations are performed in ways that will minimize contamination of stormwater discharges. The following components are part of the individual SWPPPs: - Identification of pollution prevention team members;
- Development of an inventory of materials that may be potentially exposed to stormwater;
- On-going tracking of spills and leaks;
- Routine inspection of affected properties and field operations;
- Listing of maintenance activities, maintenance schedules, and procedures for structural and non-structural controls to reduce floatables and other pollutants discharged from the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4);
- Outlining of controls for reducing or eliminating the discharge of pollutants from areas such as roads and parking lots, landscaped areas, lawns, open channels, catch basins, retention/detention ponds, oil/water separators, and maintenance and storage yards; and
- Listing of procedures for the prevention of stormwater pollution generated by fleet and equipment maintenance.
For more information on Water Quaility Programs e-mail Dan Smith, Water Quality Coordinator or call him at (253) 835-2756.
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