Wash. Rev. Code » Title 90 · Chapter 90.48
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 90.48.037 (2026)

Authority of department to bring enforcement actions

✓ current as of May 2026
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The department, with the assistance of the attorney general, is authorized to bring any appropriate action at law or in equity, including action for injunctive relief, in the name of the people of the state of Washington as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter or chapter 90.56 RCW.
[ 1991 c 200 s 1102; 1987 c 109 s 125; 1967 c 13 s 7.]

Notes:

Effective dates—1991 c 200: See RCW 90.56.901.
Purpose—Short title—Construction—Rules—Severability—Captions—1987 c 109: See notes following RCW 43.21B.001.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1984–2023 · leading case: Miotke v. City of Spokane, 678 P.2d 803 (Wash. 1984).
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Miotke v. City of Spokane, 678 P.2d 803 (Wash. 1984). · cites it 2× “As the majority evidently concedes, plaintiffs fail to demonstrate that a private cause of action, either express or implied, exists under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 ( Pub. L. No. 92-500, § 2 , 86 Stat. 880 (1972), 33 U.”
Tiegs v. Watts, 135 Wash. 2d 1 (Wash. 1998). “RCW 90.48.037 empowers the department to bring enforcement actions, and RCW 90.”
Tiegs v. Watts, 954 P.2d 877 (Wash. 1998). “RCW 90.48.037 empowers the department to bring enforcement actions, and RCW 90.”
City of Seattle v. Monsanto Co., 387 F. Supp. 3d 1141 (W.D. Wash. 2019). · cites it 2× “§ 1319 (b), (d) and the Washington Water Pollution Control Act, see RCW §§ 90.48.037, 90.48.144 for the discharge of pollutants of raw sewage.”
Puget Soundkeeper All., V. Wa State Dept. Of Ecology (Wash. Ct. App. 2023). “WAC 173-226-180(5); RCW 90.48.037 (allowing Ecology to enforce through legal suit).”
Okanogan Highlands All. v. Crown Resources Corp. (E.D. Wash. 2020). “1 Pursuant to RCW 90.48.037: 2 [T]he department with the assistance of the attorney general, is authorized to bring any appropriate action at law or in equity, including 3 action for injunctive relief, in the name of the people of the state of Washington as may be necessary to…”
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