King County's Surface Water Management Fee
for Unincorporated King County, including Vashon Island

King County is required to provide surface water management services by state and federal law. The surface water management program identifies, prevents and manages the impacts of development on water runoff like flooding, erosion, pollution, and low stream flows. To pay for these services, a fee is assessed on property owners in unincorporated King County including Vashon Island.

Services We Provide

• Identification, design and construction of capital projects to improve drainage and water quality, stabilize ravines and improve fish and wildlife habitats.
• Response and solution to over 1,000 customer service calls per year regarding flooding, water quality problems and erosion.
• Maintenance and/or inspection of over 2,000 flow control and water quality facilities such as retention/detention ponds, bio-swales and off-road ditches.
• Promotion of volunteer-stewardship at planting events and habitat restorations, property tax-incentive and grant programs to prevent damage to waters and lands.
• Test and monitor King County lakes and recruit volunteer stewards to protect lake quality.
• Implement "Best Management Practices" with commercial businesses, farmers, livestock owners and forest land owners.
• Develop basin plans and management plans for "non-active" resource lands.
• Provide the science for King County's response to the Endangered Species Act, basin planning and land use decisions.

Brief History of King County's Surface Water Management Program and Fee

Surface water management services have been in place for property owners in King County's unincorporated western third since 1986. In 1999, the service area was expanded to include eastern, unincorporated King County and Vashon Island. The fee to pay for these services has only been increased twice since the program began.

How Fees are Calculated

King County's surface water management fee is based on the average amount of impervious surface on residential properties and the overall amount and parcel size of commercial properties. Residential property owners pay a flat $111 annual fee. Commercial property owners pay on an incremental scale based on how much of their parcel is impervious or hard, (buildings, roads and parking lots for example) and the size of the parcel. Low-income senior citizens and the disabled are exempt. This year, new discounts and a cost-sharing program, aimed at reducing the amount of impervious surface on commercial parcels are available.

For more detailed information about the surface water management fee and how you can qualify for a discount or apply for the cost-sharing program, please refer to:

• Surface Water Management Fee Discounts and Cost-Sharing Program
• SWM Rate Card (PDF, 100 kb)
• SWM Fee Protocols (PDF, 327 kb)

How Fees are Collected and Spent

King County Treasury Operations collects surface water management fees and they appear on your property tax statement. While not a tax, these fees are like other fees for service (from local fire or library districts for example). The Treasury Office redistributes fee revenue to the Department of Natural Resources and Parks to pay for surface water management services, some of which are listed above. In 2005, approximately $19 million was generated from surface water fees. This money is used to protect the quality of life for King County's citizens and to protect water and land resources from the impacts of development.

Contact Information

Please call the reception desk at King County's Water and Land Resources Division (206) 296-6519 to talk with a surface water customer service representative.

Visit the Common Questions and Answers page for answers to other surface water management-related questions. For more detailed, technical information about SWM fee measurement, discount requirements, how to apply for a cost-sharing grant or about pervious surface credits, refer to SWM Fee Protocols document (PDF, 685 kb).

For questions about the Water and Land Resources Web site, please contact Fred Bentler, webmaster.

Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Water and Land Resources Division

Updated: Aug. 11, 2008

Related Information:

Water and Land Resources Topics