The problem

In older neighborhoods in Seattle we have what are called Combined Sewers. Combined Sewers are used for both waste water (sewage from inside the house) and storm water (all the water flowing off the roof, driveway, sidewalk, road, etc).

Combined Sewers cannot handle the entire amount of water during heavy rain events and are designed to overflow so that raw sewage doesn’t back up into your home. When they overflow a combination of raw sewage and storm water is discharged into nearby bodies of water like Lake Washington, Lake Union, Elliot Bay, the Duwamish River, and Puget Sound. Besides the raw sewage, oil from the road, pesticides and fertilizer from your garden and other toxins are sent untreated into our environment.

The Federal and State government have legislated that only one CSO (combined sewer overflow) shall occur each year. According to Seattle Public Utilities:

• We average 318 Overflows per year during the wet season, October through May.
• In Ballard alone on average 43 million gallons overflow into Puget Sound.
• The amount of overflow from Ballard is equivalent to 65 Olympic sized swimming pools.
• Ballard accounts for 25% of the total CSO from all areas of Seattle.

The solution

We can all be part of the solution even if we don’t live in an area with Combined Sewers. In fact in newer neighborhoods with separate storm water and waste water systems, the storm water and all the accompanying pollution is dumped without any treatment whatsoever into nearby bodies of water.

The solution is two-fold:

• Find ways to slow down the immediate flow of storm water into the sewer systems during peak rains.
• Reduce pollutants like fertilizer, pesticides, oil and pet waste.

How do we slow down storm water inflows?

• Plant a tree.
• Reduce paved areas.
• Try porous or semi-permeable paving options.
• Improve your soil with compost and mulch.
• Install rain gardens and cisterns

If you think about our native forests rain gets slowed down and absorbed by trees. They catch some of the rain in their needles and leaves, some of it evaporates off their leaves, and some is taken up by the roots of the trees. The rest that does fall to the ground is spread out and absorbed by wonderful spongy soils that filter out pollutants and then gradually allow the water to flow to nearby bodies of water.

In urban environments we have far fewer trees and our soils are often hard-packed and not very absorbent. We also have many more paved surfaces so there is less opportunity for the earth to do its water control work naturally.

In our gardens we can slow the flow by planting more trees, improving our soils so that they are more spongy, and reducing concrete and blacktop by substituting semi-permeable paving options like sand-set flagstone or pavers that allow water to be absorbed by the earth. We can also install rain gardens and cisterns.

What is a Rain Garden and how does it work?

A rain garden is an area in the garden that has been excavated and then back-filled with a specially blended highly absorbent soil that acts like a sponge. Rain gardens do not have to be big holes in your garden. They can be slight depressions and beautifully planted. The idea is to capture water from the roof and driveway and temporarily hold it until it can be absorbed by the earth rather than sending it down the storm drains. A properly designed rain garden can be quite small but capture an amazing amount of water. They typically also include an area that can pool water up to 6” deep for emergencies during a real down pour and an overflow that will allow extra water to flow back into the storm drain in case the storm water is too great for the system. They are beautifully planted with appropriate plants that can also help absorb the water and that like wet feet during the winter.

What is a Cistern and how does it work?

Think about a rain barrel on steroids. A cistern is a large containment vessel that catches storm water from the roof and then slowly sends it to a rain garden or back to the combined sewer system after the rains have subsided and the sewer system can handle the additional water. Unlike a rain barrel they are kept empty between rainstorms from October to May so that they can be ready to catch the rain from the roof during the next storm.

Free landscaping for Ballard residents!

The sewer overflow problem is so large and Ballard is such a huge part of it that the Seattle Public Utility is now offering a rebate program for over 4000 Ballard residents to install rain gardens and cisterns. In most cases the rebate pays 100% of the cost of installation.

To qualify for the rebate the rain garden and/or cisterns must be installed by a licensed landscape contractor (not the homeowner) and the property must be in the rebate area. The installation is inspected before the project begins and after it is completed by the city for no charge. Rebate checks are sent to the homeowner within 6 to 8 weeks after submitting the request and again, in most instances the rebate pays 100% of the cost of installation so you can get a beautiful landscape, free of charge, from a professional landscape company.

If you live in Ballard (or know someone who does) check these websites for more information and to see if you are in the rebate area, and then call Falling Water Designs so we can give you an estimate to install either a rain garden, cisterns, or both. www.seattle.gov/util/rainwise and https://rainwise.seattle.gov

If you don’t live in the rebate area you can still make a difference by doing (or having Falling Water Designs do) any of the water retention improvements mentioned above in your own garden. Next spring additional neighborhoods that are on Combined Sewer systems are being added to the rebate program.

To all gardeners, property owners, and landscape professionals in and around the Seattle area:

Codes are being developed that will significantly impact what you can do in your own garden and what plant material can be sold.  Today is the last day for comment!  We need your input today Monday, August 27, 2012 which is the last day to comment on the proposed code.

If passed as written, these proposals have the potential to significantly limit what anyone can plant anywhere, at any time in our area. It may also limit overall use of landscape space. Although the intent is noble, in my opinion, this draft is unrealistic and a potential job killer.

You can find the draft code changes here.

Most of the code effects commercial development and I don’t have a huge issue with it.  One portion affects irrigation installation which will result in slightly more expensive sprinkler installations for our customers.

Please scroll down and read the very last page!  Healthy Landscapes: Code four – requires any new or renovated garden to have a plan created by a professional landscaper and submitted for approval.  It requires you to protect any native vegetation in your garden and that 75% of all new or replaced plantings will be native to Western Washington.

You have never before needed to have a garden plan created or approved by the city for plant material in your garden.

You have always been able to plant the type of plant material you want in your own garden.

If this code is enacted it may do the following:

If you purchase a new undeveloped piece of property you will be required to keep the existing native vegetation and not be able to landscape as you choose.

If a portion of your garden has become overgrown with native plants and you wish to re-landscape it you will be forced to keep it as is.

If you simply want to renovate your garden you will be required to submit a plan for review by the city.

75% of the new plants used in your garden renovation or installation will be required to come from a list of Western Washington native plants.

You may not be able to create any of the following on your own property:

• A bird garden
• A butterfly garden
• A hummingbird garden
• An all white garden
• A tropical styled garden
• An Asian styled garden
• A cutting garden.
• A rose garden.
• An English garden.
• A vegetable, herb or fruit garden.

Many retail garden centers, already struggling in a recession, may be forced out of business if 75% of plant material needs to be native, as there will be such a narrow choice of plant palette for the public and therefore less specialty nurseries.

Biodiversity will be greatly curtailed setting us up for future plant pandemics.  When large geographical areas are planted with the same plant material there can be huge losses if a plant disease hits a particular species.  Dutch Elm disease, Sudden Oak Death, and agricultural crop failures are examples of what happens when there is a very narrow variety of plant material planted in one geographical area.

If you live outside of the Seattle area you may think this code doesn’t affect you, however many other municipalities often adopt their codes from the city of Seattle.

Why is this code unnecessary?

Professional landscape companies like ours already do the following:

• We put the “right plant in the right place” so that the plant does not require excess irrigation.
• Our garden installations include good garden soil and the planting beds are always mulched.
•  The mulch helps hold the water at the roots in the summer and insulates the roots in the winter.  The mulch is fertile and renewable and does not require you to use any additional fertilizer made from non-renewable petroleum products.
• Our garden designs typically require irrigation for only the first two seasons.  After that time the plants require almost no irrigation except possibly an occasional watering during the short six week Pacific Northwest summer.
• We don’t plant invasive species.
• If you ask for a native garden we design one for you.

If you want to keep government out of your garden and choose the plants you have in your garden please send a comment today to kathleen.petrie@seattle.gov  Mention Healthy Landscapes Code four.

You are welcome to copy as much of this letter as you like, compose your own response, or simply say “no thank you, stay out of our gardens”. But you must respond today!