Draft Financial Capability Assessment Guidance

As part of the permit implementation, permittees need to complete an economic evaluation. This evaluation, which includes an affordability assessment that looks at the impact to communities, is intended to help identify an economically reasonable level of treatment in the context of AKART (all known, available and reasonable methods of prevention, control and treatment).

Discharges of excess nutrients — particularly nitrogen — to Puget Sound from domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are contributing to existing low oxygen levels in Puget Sound and the rest of the Salish Sea. The Clean Water Act and federal rules require WWTPs that contribute to water quality impairments by discharging excess nutrients to take action to prevent this pollution. The Nutrient General Permit applies to 58 domestic WWTPs discharging to marine and estuarine waters of the Salish Sea in Washington.