Pollution Identification and Correction Program Update

In response to the findings of this 2018 Proviso report,  a group of agencies created a Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) program and committed to supporting each other as an alliance focused on improving water quality. 

Generally, a PIC program is centered on cleaning up the water as quickly as possible in partnership with the local community. More specifically, these programs are designed to allow organizations a way of prioritizing their work, promote collaboration, conduct source tracing, and give residents an opportunity to influence actions.

Large photo: family enjoying low tide in Poverty Bay

The King County PIC Program is a holistic, collaborative approach to address all potential sources of poop within designated high-risk areas like swimming beaches and shellfish growing areas. Partners work systematically with the community to look at each potential source and fix those that are a polluting nearby waters. The following steps describe the King County PIC program approach.

Large photo: Public Health staff talking with community members

Our PIC Program focuses on areas where poor water quality is a high risk to public health. Using ongoing water quality monitoring, source tracing, and feedback from partners, the Program prioritizes “the worst first” and chooses areas where it is unsafe to swim and collect shellfish or where the community may be exposed to sewage.

Then we use existing data about the condition of our water, land use, and present property characteristics to identify likely sources of fecal contamination.

Each partner of the PIC Program also uses their agency specific tools and approaches to efficiently locate the pollution sources in the focus area. With this multi-pronged approach, the PIC Program discovers the best solutions to stop pollution and end health risks.

There are several tools that the PIC Program uses to find and fix pollution sources:

This is the next step for the King County PIC program. When a PIC Program is successful at following these steps, then it becomes important for the Program to choose the next focus area where the environment and human health are threatened by pollution.

In 2019, the PIC program agencies committed to piloting a PIC program in the Poverty Bay area with a commitment to:

1. Building an alliance of agencies that promote internal and external coordination
2. Outcomes that promote equity and social justice
3. Using science to inform decision making
4. Connecting with the community to gather input and inform actions that inspire behavior change 

Big photo: Scientist collecting a water sample at Poverty Bay.

For more information on North Colvos Passage,  visit this site. 

For more information on Poverty Bay,  visit this site .

Both Vashon Island and Poverty Bay are popular recreating locations. In addition, the Puyallup Tribe of Indians harvests geoduck from the shellfish beds in Poverty Bay and off the coast of Vashon Island. These are part of the usual and accustomed shellfish growing areas essential to the economic vitality of the Puyallup tribe. When there is poop in the water it prevents Tribal access to these growing areas and the safe consumption of shellfish.

Large photo: fisherman in Poverty Bay

The PIC Alliance has been working hard to:

Search for specific sources of poop pollution. Since October 2021 staff have completed 11 sampling events in Redondo and Cold creeks capturing stormwater runoff before it mixes with the creeks; and

Communicate with residents at public events, provide financial incentives, and create educational materials. In 2021 the PIC program conducted a community survey, created an advisory committee, published a website with more information, participated in 4 public events, and developed mailers with educational information that were sent to nearly 13,000 people living in the Poverty Bay area.

Large photo: shows water quality scientists tracing source of pollution.

Looking for pollution in the water can be really challenging. It often can’t be seen and can rarely be smelled. So we collect water samples and capture the bacteria. Then wait. If there is poop in the water the bacteria will grow and become visible after a day.

Large photo: soil scientist taking a sample from a drain pipe.

Those total numbers are used to determine the severity of the problem. The bigger dots on this map represent where we found the most bacteria, and where the problems are the worst.

Seeing where the problem is the worst allows us to know where to look next until we are able to narrow down possible sources of this poop pollution. If we find that the pollution is coming from a specific pipe or property, we do additional tests to find out whether it's human, dog, or bird poop. After we have done all of this to track down the pollution source, we work with the property owner to fix it.

We have been sharing information at public events and developing materials to help educate residents on ways that poop can get into local creeks and Puget Sound.

We found that the cost of a septic inspection keeps people from maintaining their septic systems, so we acquired funding for septic inspection rebates. See if you qualify for these rebates in Poverty Bay and on Vashon Island.

King County has been working on Vashon Island for over a decade to look for bacteria sources. Source tracing and septic system inspections have found failing septic systems. Public Health staff continue working with property owners to find creative and cost-effective solutions to fixing their septic systems. Because Vashon residents have invested in clean water, over 450 acres of shellfish growing areas have been upgraded.

Using what was learned on Vashon Island, staff continue to look for sources of bacteria in Poverty Bay by sampling stormwater from catch basins and outfalls. There has even been work to identify whether the bacteria is from humans using laboratory methods. Source tracing is challenging, and it can sometimes take years before a solution is found. 

Thanks to funding made possible by the Washington State Department of Health, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program, the PIC Alliance has had success educating and engaging with the communities of Poverty Bay and Vashon Island.  

Source tracing in these locations has been challenging. Bacteria comes from a variety of sources and can be found in all corners of the County. Improving awareness of these sources and understanding how we can all make a difference is essential to cleaner water.