The long-range health and environmental goals for the state of Washington require the protection of the state's surface and underground waters for the health, safety, use, enjoyment, and economic benefit of its people. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide financial assistance to the state and to local governments for the planning, design, acquisition, construction, and improvement of water pollution control facilities and related activities in the achievement of state and federal water pollution control requirements for the protection of the state's waters.

It is the intent of the legislature that distribution of moneys for water pollution control facilities under this chapter be made on an equitable basis taking into consideration legal mandates, local effort, ratepayer impacts, and past distributions of state and federal moneys for water pollution control facilities.

It is the intent of this chapter that the cost of any water pollution control facility attributable to increased or additional capacity that exceeds one hundred ten percent of existing needs at the time of application for assistance under this chapter shall be entirely a local or private responsibility. It is the intent of this chapter that industrial pretreatment be paid by industries and that state funds shall not be used for such purposes.

Effective date—2009 c 479: See note following RCW 2.56.030.

Effective dates—1986 c 3: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately except sections 12 through 15 of this act shall take effect April 1, 1986." [ 1986 c 3 § 18.]