The listening sessions will offer residents small-group forums to share their comments prior to the Clean Water Division publishing a final Stormwater Rate Study for Clark County

VANCOUVER – Clark County Public Works Clean Water Division is hosting three community listening sessions to hear which services are most important to residents of Clark County. The listening sessions will offer residents small-group forums to share their comments prior to the Clean Water Division publishing a final Stormwater Rate Study for Clark County.

Clark County is required to implement a wide variety of projects and programs to protect and restore water quality under a new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit that went into effect in August. The Clean Water Division is updating the services it will provide through 2029 to comply with the new federal and state permit requirements. 

To financially support these new services, the Clean Water Division is conducting a Stormwater Rate Study to determine if Clark County’s existing rates need to change. Clark County’s stormwater rates have not increased since 2015.

Community listening sessions will provide residents with an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback about the Stormwater Rate Study. Three listening sessions will be offered: two in-person sessions and one online session. Residents are invited to attend any of the following sessions:

• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11: In-person session. Washington Grange #82, 7701 NE Ward Road, Vancouver.
• 6-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16: Online session via Webex. Register for the online session on the Clean Water Fee webpage.
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19: In-person session. Salmon Creek Elementary School, 1601 NE 129th Street #3168, Vancouver.

RSVP for in-person sessions is appreciated but not required and can be sent to cleanwater@clark.wa.gov. Signs will be posted to help direct attendees at the in-person sessions. 

The Clark County Council will consider adoption of 2025-2029 stormwater rates during a public meeting on Oct. 1. The council will consider the Clean Water Commission’s recommendation to adopt results from the Stormwater Rate Study. Community members can provide testimony during the public comment portion of the meeting; comments will be limited to the time allotted and must be about the Stormwater Rate Study. 

About the Clean Water Division 

The Clean Water Division is responsible for protecting and restoring water quality in streams, rivers and lakes throughout Clark County. To achieve this, the Clean Water Division builds, operates, and maintains public drainage infrastructure to prevent flooding on roads and to remove harmful pollution before it enters rivers and lakes.

The division also collects water quality data, provides education and outreach opportunities for schools and residents, and offers technical assistance to businesses and homeowners associations to prevent pollution from privately-owned stormwater facilities. 

To receive information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor. 

Go to clark.wa.gov/public-works and click on “News” to read this information in another language. Click the button in the top right of the page that says “Change language” next to a globe icon and choose your preferred language. 

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.