Seattle Waterfront construction makes sure pollutants do not enter the Sound

Bioretention planters at Seattle Waterfront project
Photo courtesy Seattle Waterfront Project

When people think of Seattle, they imagine rain and for good reason - we get a lot of it! With rain (and occasional snow) comes water that flows across hard surfaces picking up pollutants like oil, grease and metals which eventually lead into the Puget Sound. 

Bioretention planters filter the 
runoff before it enters the Sound

To counteract this, the Seattle Waterfront project has installed Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) facilities to treat stormwater runoff on all new roadway surfaces along Alaskan and Elliott ways.

31 bioretention planters on Alaskan Way between Yesler Way and Pine St plus one large-scale 3-tiered bioretention planter on Pike St have been installed. 

Additionally, filtering catch basins or vaults are used as water quality treatment in areas where bioretention cannot be accommodated. 

With these, we are able to treat an estimated annual average of 10.4 million gallons of total stormwater runoff before it enters Elliott Bay. 

The next time you visit the waterfront, know that it isn't just the flowers and landscaping that are thriving— we do our best to make sure our marine buddies are flourishing as well!