Skip to main content
Most King County offices will be closed on Monday, May 28, for Memorial Day.  
King County logo
  1. Stormwater services
  2. Report a problem

Report a drainage or water quality problem

Drainage and water quality complaint investigations

What to do depends on location

  1. Make sure the problem is in unincorporated King County.If you are inside an incorporated city (Seattle, Renton, Maple Valley, etc.) you must contact that city for assistance. If you're unsure which jurisdiction your problem is located, check parcel viewer to find out.
  2. Determine the right agency to report the problem. Take the time to be sure you are contacting to the right agency.
Type of problem Responsible agency Telephone
  • Drainage problems on private property
  • Illegal connections to the stormdrain system
  • Landslide and erosion problems
  • Polluted discharges from commercial or residential properties
  • Polluting business practices
  • Problems with drainage facilities e.g. overgrown, damaged etc.
  • Sewage entering the stormdrain system or surface waters
  • Spills to the drainage system or waterways
 King County Stormwater Services: submit a report form
 206-477-4811
  • Drainage issues in the road right of way – blocked culverts, unmaintained ditches
  • Erosion from utility work in the road right-of-way

 King County Roads Services

 206-477-8100
  • Illegal dumping
 King County Illegal Dumping Hotline

 206-296-7483
  • Accumulation of junk and debris
  • Clearing or grading without permits
  • Construction without a permit
  • Erosion from unpermitted construction and development activities
  • Illegally placed mobile homes or factory-assembled structures
  • Livestock density and manure management problems
  • Motor homes or RVs being used as housing
  • Open wells and other hazardous conditions
  • Open-to-entry or dangerous buildings
  • Operation of an illegal business
  • Storage of junk cars
  • Substandard housing
  • Zoning code violations
 King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER) Code Enforcement

 206-296-6680
  • Erosion from permitted construction and development sites both in and out of road right-of-way
 DPER Erosion Control
 206-296-6600
  • Septic system problems, septic system installation/maintenance, haulers and disposal, septic discharges
 Public Health - Seattle & King County -Environmental Health Services Division
 206-477-8050
  • Drinking water concerns from private wells
 Public Health - Seattle & King County -Environmental Health Services Division - Private Wells
 206-477-8050
  • Sewage discharge from broken sanitary sewer lines or equipment malfunction

King County Wastewater Treatment and your local sewer agency
  • Industrial and commercial discharges to the sanitary or combined sewer systems
 King County Industrial Waste Program
206-477-5300
  • Spills into the sanitary sewer system
 Your local sewer agency
  • Vessel discharges
  • Oil & hazardous material spills
  • Other environmental incidents
 Washington State Department of Ecology 425-649-7000
  • Large oil spills in Puget Sound, lakes, or streams
  • Hazardous material spills

1) National Response Center

AND

2) Oil Spill Task Force 		800-424-8802


AND

800-OILS-911
  • Traffic-related spills
 911 or Washington State Department of Ecology 425-649-7000
  • All other water quality problems within incorporated areas
 Your City
  • Concerns about water quality at swimming beaches
 King County Lakes Program

What happens if a violation is found?

Water and Land Resources will require responsible persons to resolve drainage and water quality problems and/or implement on-site best management practices (BMP's) as outlined in King County's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Manual.

Water and Land Resources will rely, as much as possible, on education and technical assistance in gaining compliance with the Water Quality Code (K.C.C.9.12) and Drainage Code (K.C.C.9.04). WLR will take enforcement action when there is a clear and/or flagrant violation of the Water Pollution Code or Drainage Code when compliance is not achieved.

Why do I have to give my name and contact information?

Because we may need to contact you to find out more details about the problem or actual location. We may determine that the complaint belongs to another agency and need to get back to you with this information. This also allows us to keep you informed of the results of our investigation.

For questions about King County Stormwater, please contact Brian Sleight, King County Stormwater Services Section.