Published: Saturday, December 26, 2009
Port of Everett gets help with sewage spill
The City of Everett and the PUD paid to clean up a Port Gardner sewage spill two years ago.
EVERETT — Two years ago, workers accidentally punctured a pipe on the waterfront, sending sewage spilling into Port Gardner.
Even though it was a Port of Everett project, the city of Everett and Snohomish County PUD helped pay for the cleanup. Everett cut a check this month to the Port for $25,000 and the PUD kicked in $50,254.
Here’s what happened.
The Port hired the PUD to install some lighting on Port property.
On Jan. 31, 2008, workers were drilling a hole behind the Port’s shipping terminals north of Pigeon Creek.
They had called the city’s Dial-a-Dig to determine a location of the pipes.
It’s not clear if Dial-a-Dig provided the wrong information, but the drill pierced the top of a city sewer main.
For three hours, untreated sewage poured across Port property and into Port Gardner, according to reports from the Department of Ecology.
There is no estimate of how much sewage got away.
The site of the sewage spill is near a public access trail that runs from Terminal Avenue to Pigeon Creek. At the time of the spill, officials posted signs to warn people. They also contacted the Snohomish Health District, the Department of Ecology and the Tulalip Tribes.
They didn’t alert the public by contacting the media — but they weren’t required to.
The Port filed a claim against the PUD to recover the cleanup costs of the spill. As part of that settlement, the city agreed to share the costs.
“We have a really good working relationship with both the city of Everett and the Snohomish County PUD, and do business with both agencies on a regular basis,” said Lisa Lefeber, spokeswoman for the Port. “This incident was an anomaly, and we really appreciated both the city and the PUD’s willingness to step in and assist with our cleanup efforts.”
Since the incident, the city and the PUD have strived to improve how they work together, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said.
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.
Even though it was a Port of Everett project, the city of Everett and Snohomish County PUD helped pay for the cleanup. Everett cut a check this month to the Port for $25,000 and the PUD kicked in $50,254.
Here’s what happened.
The Port hired the PUD to install some lighting on Port property.
On Jan. 31, 2008, workers were drilling a hole behind the Port’s shipping terminals north of Pigeon Creek.
They had called the city’s Dial-a-Dig to determine a location of the pipes.
It’s not clear if Dial-a-Dig provided the wrong information, but the drill pierced the top of a city sewer main.
For three hours, untreated sewage poured across Port property and into Port Gardner, according to reports from the Department of Ecology.
There is no estimate of how much sewage got away.
The site of the sewage spill is near a public access trail that runs from Terminal Avenue to Pigeon Creek. At the time of the spill, officials posted signs to warn people. They also contacted the Snohomish Health District, the Department of Ecology and the Tulalip Tribes.
They didn’t alert the public by contacting the media — but they weren’t required to.
The Port filed a claim against the PUD to recover the cleanup costs of the spill. As part of that settlement, the city agreed to share the costs.
“We have a really good working relationship with both the city of Everett and the Snohomish County PUD, and do business with both agencies on a regular basis,” said Lisa Lefeber, spokeswoman for the Port. “This incident was an anomaly, and we really appreciated both the city and the PUD’s willingness to step in and assist with our cleanup efforts.”
Since the incident, the city and the PUD have strived to improve how they work together, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said.
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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