Welcome to Thurston County's Storm and Surface Water Utility Web site, your source for news and information on county efforts to reduce stormwater pollution.

Stormwater pollution from urban runoff is a serious health risk and the single biggest environmental threat to the quality of our rivers, lakes and local waterways. Every time it rains, pollutants such as sediment, oil, antifreeze, fertilizer, pesticides and animal waste are washed into storm drains and ditches. Most of the water drains directly to a local water body, or into the ground -- our source of drinking water. In Thurston County, stormwater does not flow to a sewage-type treatment plant to be cleaned.

The Puget Sound Partnership's State of the Sound report identifies polluted stormwater as a leading source of pollution in the region.

The good news is that we can all make a difference by following some common-sense practices in our daily lives. Click the appropriate link below and let's get going!