EVERETT — The Everett City Council is being asked to approve $600,000 in emergency spending to fix flooding problems that burbled up in June.
A resolution to that effect is on the agenda for Wednesday night’s meeting.
A future storm could be an “imminent threat,” according to the agenda.
Repeated flooding has occurred in the area around Wetmore Avenue and 35th Street, according to council documents. It happened in August 2013, September 2013, September 2016 and this past June.
The June incident was caused by a “microburst” of rain, officials said.
Property owners from around the city filed 13 claims for damages related to rising water and sewage from that event. One couple on Wetmore said they were nearly finished renovating their basement for an incoming tenant when the storm ruined their efforts.
Some of the problems were in other areas, including Grand Avenue and Broadway. Two of the claims have been settled, for a total of $39,975. The others are pending.
The Wetmore flooding is caused by a mix of factors, including climate change, topography and the kinds of pipes in use, according to the documents. The Public Works Department is proposing a two-block-long stormwater bypass, among other improvements.
“Not completing the Wetmore project by the end of August 2018 represents an unacceptable risk of flooding and property damage,” the memo says.
The emergency resolution, if passed by the council, would waive the city’s usual bidding requirements.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
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