The Samish Tribe says 94% of the city's stormwater outfalls into Fidalgo Bay fail to meet minimum state pollution standards for fecal coliform bacteria.
High levels can indicate failing septic systems, poor Iivestock management practices, poorly operated wastewater treatment systems, poorly maintained municipal storm and sanitary sewers, and other sources, according to a study released by the Samish Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources, which has been monitoring outfalls in consultation with the city.
The city does not monitor wastewater or storm water runoff quality, but city Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer said it’s coming. The city will join a new program which he predicts will eventually require outfall monitoring.
The Samish Fidalgo Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program includes 35 freshwater, outfall, and upland sites that are monitored twice monthly when flow permits. Three additional marine sites which are used as reference and early detection sites are monitored once monthly.
The report says the Samish monitoring program covers only about 19% of the city’s outfalls. “We can assume that the total amount of pollutants documented in our monitoring program represents only a fraction of the total amount of pollutants entering marine waters from the City of Anacortes,” the reports states.
The Samish report was released in connection with this week’s City Council meeting.
Erin Licata, Samish tribal Natural Resources Technician, told the Council Tuesday night that some results are nine times the state coliform standard. She cited two examples of Samish monitoring near sources of pollution sources, including a horse farm and the city’s off-leash dog park on H Ave.
During discussion at Tuesday night’s Council meeting, Council member John Archibald asked, “Why don’t we do this now?” Buckenmeyer said the city will, in the future, do some monitoring. He added, "It took decades to get to this point. This will not turn around overnight."
Mayor Gere said, “I”d like to see us work with the Samish,” on this.