It is an annual service charge to cover a portion of the costs of managing the quantity and quality of surface water runoff within Snohomish County watersheds. The money is used to protect water quality in streams, rivers, and lakes, and to reduce local flooding problems. We will send you a service request form. A Drainage Investigator will conduct a field visit to the problem area. The Drainage Investigator should be able to identify the source of the problem and suggest possible solutions.
Limited funds are available to fix drainage problems.
Title 25 of the Snohomish County Code was recommended by the County Executive and established by the County Council in July of 1987. The decision was made following three formal hearings conducted by the County Council, and five formal hearings conducted by the Surface Water Advisory Board. Over six years of planning, public meetings, discussions and dozens of newspaper articles went into trying to reach the public with information on this subject. State law does not require a public vote for establishing surface water service charges. In subsequent years, public meetings, a public hearing, and County Council approval occurred before each new watershed was added.