Puget Sound
Troubled Waters
Â
Â
Â
Now More than Ever We are called to Make a Difference
Puget Sound is known for its splendid orca whales, Chinook salmon, Dungeness crab, and recreational delights. What many do not realize is that it is also known as a bathtub of pollution, including sewage, agricultural runoff.
Discover more about the issues impacting your Puget Sound and what you can do to act.
Endangered & Threatened
Protect Chinook & Orcas from Toxics
Endangered species in Puget Sound include Chinook salmon and Puget Sound resident orcas, which are suffering the ill effects of toxic chemicals. NWEA’s lawsuits force  Washington and EPA to establish allowable levels that are based on science. Other NWEA lawsuits demand modern sewage treatment that will remove pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and metals from sewage before discharge to protect the Puget Sound food web.
Read MoreProtect Salmon Spawning
Puget Sound Chinook salmon health depends on clean, oxygen-filled water for eggs and juveniles to hatch and grow. NWEA’s litigation has forced Washington to adopt new rules to protect salmon from being smothered by sediment released by logging and farming. Another NWEA lawsuit is forcing Washington to ensure that its logging and farming practices will protect salmon and other endangered species in Puget Sound.Â
Read MorePollution Threats
Modern Sewage Treatment Now
Much of water pollution in Puget Sound comes from the over 100 sewage treatment plants that discharge toxics and nutrient pollution into Puget Sound. NWEA’s lawsuit demands that Puget Sound sewage treatment comply with Washington law that requires the use of modern treatment technology to dramatically reduce nutrient pollution and remove pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other chemicals.
Read moreLogging & Agriculture
Water pollution in Puget Sound includes logging runoff in Puget Sound that adds nutrient pollution that causes massive algal blooms. Logging and farming also raise temperatures in streams that are essential to Chinook salmon health as well as frogs and salamanders. NWEA’s legal settlements require state and federal agencies to focus on controling polluted runoff from these sources.
Read MoreTake Action
Join with NWEA to protect Puget Sound water quality. Become a member or sign up for email updates.