Does My Site Need Certification?

Per the City of Spokane: The Washington Department of Ecology issued the Eastern Washington Municipal Stormwater permit to the City of Spokane in order to protect water quality. The permit requires recurring inspections of structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure that adequate maintenance is being performed, and that the facility is functioning as designed. Structural BMPs include swales, bioretention cells, infiltration ponds, drywells, etc., each of which is considered a 'stormwater facility.

Municipal Code that cites this: Spokane Municipal Code Chapter 17D, Section 17D0.060.140.E.1 - Runoff and Infiltration Controls, requires the annual certification of private stormwater facilities. The municipal code was updated on December 2, 2021 following approval from City Council.

Criteria: If your private property is legally required to submit an annual certification if it meets these criteria:

1) Your stormwater facility receives runoff from private property.

2) The private property was developed or redeveloped in 2011 or later.

3) The original development project was 1 acre or larger (or part of a larger multi-phase development plan).

The Spokane Inspection Window: The City of Spokane explicitly requires private facility certifications to take place between March and October, while infrastructure is completely clear of snow, ice, or heavy winter frost. Booking your structural evaluation early ensures your site stays firmly within this compliant seasonal window.

Submission to the City of Spokane: The certification report must be submitted to the City within 90 days of inspection. Missing this deadline may result in compliance notices or required corrective actions.

We handle the submission process so you don’t have to.