Everett considers funding for large pipeline project
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 24, 2026
EVERETT — The Everett City Council is set to consider approval of an ordinance that would fund construction of water and sewer pipelines along West Marine View Drive that are needed for the Port Gardner Storage Facility project.
The ordinance would allocate $113 million to the construction phase of the project, which would include a new combined stormwater and sewer pipe along with the replacement of a 48-inch water main, according to a city council memo. In 2023, the city allocated $4.5 million to design the water and sewer upgrades.
Much of the funding for the project would come from utility fees.
The pipelines would be used to send flows of excess stormwater into the Port Gardner Storage Facility, a more than $200 million undertaking in the works for more than a decade that will temporarily store the stormwater until it can be sent to wastewater treatment.
The facility is being built to prevent combined sewer overflows, which occur when heavy rains strain the city’s sewer system and force wastewater into the Snohomish River or Port Gardner Bay. Because the sewer system at the north end of the city uses the same pipes to transport rainwater, sewage and wastewater, the overflows can contain harmful bacteria or debris.
Everett’s combined sewer system, using the same pipes for stormwater and sewage, was mostly constructed between 1890 and 1963. The southern end of the city uses a separated sewer system, where stormwater and sewage are in different pipes.
The city has allocated over $150 million toward the Port Gardner Storage Facility thus far and is under a state deadline to complete it by the end of 2027.
The construction of the pipelines will be a significant undertaking. The pipelines will stretch along West Marine View Drive, from the Grand Avenue Bridge in the north down to Hewitt Avenue in the south. The city will also have to cross freight railways owned by the BNSF.
Everett plans to split the building of the pipelines into two stages, the larger of which is set to include a project labor agreement. Splitting the project into two parts will help reduce traffic impacts, Assistant City Engineer Tom Hood said at Wednesday’s council meeting. Crews will stage different parts of the work to minimize disruptions during the FIFA World Cup this summer, as the Port of Everett is set to host events at its waterfront along Marine View Drive.
Based on long-term simulations, the city expects the Port Gardner Storage Facility to be able to store approximately 7 million gallons of water if needed, Hood told the council Wednesday. Combined sewer overflows are expected to decrease by about 95% — down to about 1 million gallons per year compared to 20 million per year —after the project is complete.
The council is expected to vote on an ordinance on April 1 that would fund the construction of the pipelines.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
