Capital Project Update
176th Reconstruction: The most recent phase of the County’s project to widen 176th Street E, including the new 12” water main from 29th Ave E to 36th Ave. E. has been largely completed. Fees charged to new growth funded the main work for this phase. The next phase, from 14th Ave to 28th Ave E. is scheduled to begin in May with phase three from B St to 14th Ave anticipated in the summer of 2013 if County funding is available. As part of these County road projects, all existing 176th St. water mains are required to be relocated. The costs for these relocations will be paid from the capital projects fees seen on routine water bills.
“B” Street Sewer Project: This 36” sewer trunk line project should be largely completed by the end of the year. The work has resulted in the planned replacing of several road crossings. Three 12” A/C main breaks also occurred as a result of instability due to the 35’ deep sewer trenching. The project has affected access to local residences and the Company’s office for almost a year. We are all looking forward to the project’s completion.
Spanaway Elementary School area main replacement: Bethel School District’s replacement of Spanaway Elementary School required the upsizing of water mains in the area. Under an agreement with the school district, the water Company replaced the existing 4” and 6” mains on 168th St. E. and Park Ave. with 12” water mains to the new school site and the school district replace the mains adjacent to the school with 12” and 8” water mains. The replacement of the mains on 168th St. E. and Park Ave. had been included in prior Company plans for replacement due to age and to improve fire flows on the west side of Pacific Ave. before this school replacement was considered. The Company’s portion of this project was funded by the capital projects fee billing to existing customers.
The benefit of these projects is very evident with the available fire flow on 165th St S increasing from 1,475 GPM to 2,779 GPM.
Replacement Well 5: The corrosion control project report for this new 1,500 gallon per minute replacement well is awaiting approval from the Washington Department of Health. The well, as proposed will include a calcite contactor (limestone) for pH adjustment, a pump with a variable capacity ranging from 800 to 1,500 GPM, and on-site chlorine generator. The well’s development cost will be funded from fees charged to new growth. Construction of the well facilities is anticipated in 2012/3.
The project's new 16” water main from the well site to Military Road E. will be installed this winter/spring.
New Tank 4: This tank has proven to be very difficult to site. The tank will provide gravity storage and additional fire protection storage to the upper pressure zone. The changes in the development regulations completed last year may allow construction of the standpipe tank on the existing Clarewood reservoir site. Like well 5 above, tank 4 construction will be funded entirely from growth fees.
New Tank 5 and 36th Ave E Main Replacement: Tank 5 will add to the existing storage for the main portion of the water system and will assist in meeting peak day demands, address growth, and provide gravity storage in times of power failures or other emergencies. Associated with the project is the installation of a 16” water main from the future tank site to 36th Ave. E and 12” main replacement on 36th Ave. E. As part of the rebuild of Clover Creek Elementary School the 12’ main work on 36th Ave. E. and 16” main on the school site have been completed. Construction of the tank is planned for 2015-16 dependent on growth rates and growth revenues. The storage tank and 16” water main costs are and will be funded from growth fees. The 12” A/C water main on 36th Ave. E. was an existing system main upgrade and was funded from the capital projects fees that are part of water bills.
Tank #2 Altitude Valve, Pump Down Station and Recoating Project: This year we plan to install an altitude valve and pump down station at the tank #2 site. This will allow full utilization of wells 5, 6, 9, and 10 when tank #2 has filled by isolating the tank and forcing these well’s water to tanks 1 and 3. This improves our utilization of existing wells and helps defer the need for additional new wells. The pump down station will allow the use of the full volume of water in the tank in the draining process prior to the tank being recoated. Divers have confirmed that the interior coating of tank #2 is beginning to fail. The recoating project requires sandblasting the entire interior, priming, and recoating of the 46’ diameter by 127’ tall tank. This work will be funded from the capital projects billing to existing customers. Work on the altitude valve and pump down station project is planned for 2012, with the re-coating planned for 2013.
