SHORELINE — Although the name sounds rather inconspicuous, residents will likely notice the commencement of the Hidden Lake Sewer Improvement Project this summer.
King County staff will begin construction of the first of three related projects, with the other two following later in the year. The projects are a partnership between the city of Shoreline and King County. The city will receive $1.1 million in mitigation funding from King County to compensate for disruption during the projects. The sewers and wastewater pump station are more than 40 years old and are not able to serve in an appropriate capacity, said King County officials.
Gunars Sreibers, wastewater conveyance manager, said looking back historically, the current setup was a primitive wastewater project. With the formation of Metro in the 1960s, upgraded pipelines were installed as well as a new treatment plant in the 1970s. The new improvements should last for about 50 years, he said.
“Now we are in the next phase of providing regional funding to enhance the facility and replace the Hidden Lake Pump Station,” said Sreibers. “In so doing, we anticipate in the next three years we will upgrade the facility.”
According to a press release, the existing station, located on the corner of 10th Avenue NW and NW Innis Arden Way, has operating problems and is under capacity. It does not meet current King County pump station standards, including odor and noise. There are about three overflows each year into the Puget Sound.
The first on the list is the replacement of the Hidden Lake Pump Station, followed by the construction of a new storage pipe and sewer at Boeing Creek Park and the replacement of part of the Boeing Creek Trunk Sewer. Work will overlap due to separate construction contracts. Although construction will begin this summer, the last of the three projects is not expected to end until early 2008.
The three projects and timelines are as follows:
• Hidden Lake Pump Station: construction to begin in summer 2005 and end in 2 1/2 years. The new station will be built next to the existing building, but will be a much larger facility. The pumping capacity will increase from 4.3 to 6.8 million gallons per day. The old pump station will be kept operational while the new station is built.
• Underground Storage Pipe: The new storage pipe will store wastewater for short periods of time during storms. The pipe will be installed in Boeing Creek Park, and the new sewer will be 12 feet in diameter and 640 feet long.
• Boeing Creek Trunk Sewer Replacement: About 12,000 feet of the Boeing Creek Trunk Sewer will be replaced with segments that are 200 feet long. To do so, roads will be impacted and right-of-way will be needed.
Sreibers said a portion of the pipe near the pump station will not need to be replaced, since it has adequate capacity, unlike the gravity section where the pipe has been corroded.
The Hidden Lake Pump Station serves a segment of Shoreline and gathers sewage from the Ronald Wastewater District and the Highlands Sewer District. The city also has formed a beneficial partnership with Edmonds and treats some of their wastewater in exchange for similar services.
The wastewate originates at the pump station and travels north through the Boeing Creek Trunk Sewer to the Richmond Beach Pump Station. From there, the pump station sends it on to the city of Edmonds wastewater treatment plant.
Gunars said the city will continue to trade off with Edmonds, who has the capacity to take the flow from Richmond Beach.
Dick Deal, city director of parks, recreation and cultural services, said three parks will be affected, allowing the city an opportunity to enhance the parks system, including Boeing Creek Park, Shoreview Park and Richmond Beach Pump Station. The city intends to create a small park at the Richmond Beach Pump Station.
“This will look and feel very parklike when we are done,” Deal said.
The total sewer improvements total $22 million. Metro King County Council member Carolyn Edmonds said: “I am amazed at how well the partnership between the city and county has gone, this is a role model.”
For additional information, visit the county’s Web site at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/projects/hiddenlake.htm.
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