Downspouts convey rainwater from roofs to the ground, a splash block, to a piped underground system where it infiltrates or soaks into the ground or to a stormwater or sanitary sewer system. Many homes in Bremerton had their downspouts connected to the sanitary sewer system which added too much stormwater to the sanitary sewer system and caused combined sewer overflows or
CSOs. This was not the only cause but the amount of water added to the sanitary system was a significant problem.
Municipal Code - Downspouts
Bremerton Municipal Code (BMC) was updated in 2001, and required disconnection of downspouts from the sanitary sewer system. Stormwater connections to the wastewater system are prohibited, as of January 1, 2005 (
BMC 15.04.200). A property that maintains a stormwater connection after January 1, 2005, is charged a fee for the connection pursuant to
BMC 15.06.050(b), Rates - Stormwater. This will show up as "SW Facility Impact" on the utility bill. Properties that keep downspout connection to the sanitary sewer are charged for that service to cover the cost of pumping and treating stormwater at the wastewater treatment plant. If a property has a driveway drain connected to the sanitary sewer, the fee appears with the same name but should be 50% of the "Stormwater" fee. Call 360-473-5920 if you have questions.
