Puyallup-based contractor RM Homes LLC will pay a reduced $40,000 penalty for water quality violations at a construction site in Gig Harbor, under a settlement agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology. In 2023, state and local inspectors noted 15 water quality permit violations despite warnings and offers of technical assistance from Ecology staff. Violations include failing to install sediment controls, stabilize soils, protect drain inlets, manage draining water, and operate the construction project within the permit requirements.  

The settlement agreement reduces the original penalty of $56,000 to $40,000. 

Stormwater runoff from construction sites often carry muddy water, debris, and chemicals into local waterways. Sediments, chemicals, and debris can harm aquatic life and reduce water quality. To minimize this risk, Ecology requires regulated construction projects (such as the Edwards Drive site) to get a Construction Stormwater General Permit. 

Water quality penalties go into the state's Coastal Protection Fund, which provides grants to public agencies and Tribes for water quality restoration projects.