Sewage overflow options for North Beach area

In older parts of the King County sewage system, both rain water and sewage travel down the same pipes to the wastewater treatment plant. During heavy rains, these pipes often overflow sending the untreated water directly into Puget Sound. This is called “Combined Sewer Overflow” or CSO. One of the trouble spots is in the North Beach area.

Three alternatives to combat CSO in this area have been identified:

The first is to create underground storage at Blue Ridge Park (shown above.) This project would include above ground odor control and electrical facilities. Details on this alternative can be found here.

The second option is to create an underground storage pipe on NW Blue Ridge Drive, in the street right-of-way (shown above.) This, too, would have above ground odor control. Details on this alternative can be found here.

The final alternative is to create a pump station at Blue Ridge Park with above ground odor control and electrical facilities, an underground storage tank in Blue Ridge Park, new force mains from pump station to Holman Road NW, gravity sewer to 8th Avenue Interceptor drop structure on Seattle Parks property at Crown Hill (partially shown above.) Details on this option can be found here.

The King County CSO Beach Project team is looking for questions, concerns and suggestions from the community. “Public input will help to inform King County’s decision to define a proposal for CSO control in the North Beach basin. The proposal will then go through the environmental review process required by state law,” the website states. You can fill out this form until April 16th.

There will also be a community meeting on this project on Tuesday, March 30 at the Loyal Heights Community Center (2101 NW 77th St) from 6 to 8:30 p.m.