A group of volunteers gathered in Ballard on a recent Saturday morning to learn how to spot pollution in our local waters and the steps needed to report violators.

The meeting took place at the Puget Soundkeepers Alliance office and the volunteers are called Citizen Soundkeepers. "The goal is to empower you if you see something illegal," said pollution prevention director Chris Wilke.

He distributed a handout with the phone numbers of agencies like the Washington Department of Ecology and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The 1-800 numbers of the agencies and others are listed in the book.

The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance was formed after the debate over secondary treatment at the West Point Sewage Plant in 1984. Their office is now based in Ballard along the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

The organization provides grassroots advocacy to protect and preserve Puget Sound, through active monitoring, engagement, enforcement and partnerships.

"We've been trying to save Puget Sound since 1984 with numerous management projects. It's an excellent movement to be part of," said Wilke.

When pollution is found, the violations are reported to the Washington State Department of Ecology or some other agency. In the case of oil spills, the United States Coast Guard is called.

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance can also take legal action as citizens through its legal department. The agency has filed over 100 cases.

"We go after the most egregious violators," said Wilke.

"We've won every case," said Sue Joerger, executive director of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.

The nation's Clean Water Act was passed in 1972 by the late President Richard Nixon. "Before that it was a free for all with industries dumping into the water," said Wilke.

Companies must comply with guidelines that limit specific chemicals or the amounts that can be released into the environment. Any business that has a pipe going into the water is regulated. Some of the larger companies have compliance officers on staff, smaller companies do not.