[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6278432,"mediaKeyId","2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53","parentId",2641104,"title","Votes at a glance: Utility Board approves minutes, adjourns meeting","audioSeconds",3433,"startMs",16000,"endMs",3449000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53&start=16&end=3449","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53/thumbnail_16000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278432/Mercer-Island/King-County/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-Utility-Board-approves-minutes-adjourns-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278432-bcc72bdb1f3355025e9ed960f42f97c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144327&Signature=RCzEA8n~asiHBdJ6BUl2koWdhlcYTZOngp~QqEq2HEuDZROdQptIQPeuPc2stniaMMSEMVk7X6gmBdtChXV-Tyf1FXIssuehOrhYkx6JnVoisAPPLrtV4PRGCtpxsoCyhCWoB8-HiVGNpk9RpDTSsHz-Y8TrTG4EastxTA7WRAdKOzJFvdzTdB8LQyeU6IuesY0iW8whVcuD0EPnKsuV29N63Vi7N0cL4UMWLLCzeJe0exPoZ8w0atwu0qsvAZM74DzLiKrOUIQXKGOGy-InPOo2h-mvh4dWjipnLXxVNzfTRaHTu3Qp9BNvAqGAwCoMfstwDB7969sY47nw52fWlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mercer Island, Washington","date","2025-03-15T00:28:29.137Z","article","At the start of the meeting the board voted to approve the minutes from its February 11 meeting. The motion to approve the minutes was moved by \"Mister Lehi\" and seconded by \"Craig.\" Chair Tim O’Connell called for a vote, and the board voted unanimously in favor (ayes recorded verbally); no recorded no/abstain votes were stated in the meeting transcript.

At the end of the session the board voted to adjourn. A motion to adjourn was moved and seconded on the record; the board voted unanimously to adjourn.

No other formal votes or ordinance/adoption items were recorded in the portion of the transcript provided.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/11/2025 - Mercer Island - Utility Board","oneSentenceSummary","The Mercer Island Utility Board unanimously approved the Feb. 11 meeting minutes and unanimously voted to adjourn the meeting.","taxTitle","Mercer Island, King County, Washington","taxId",70518,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278437,"Utility board briefed on proposed new water supply line, Shorewood connection and SPU contract work",409,2159000,2568000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53&start=2159&end=2568","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53/thumbnail_2159000.jpg","/articles/6278437/Mercer-Island/King-County/Washington/Utility-board-briefed-on-proposed-new-water-supply-line-Shorewood-connection-and-SPU-contract-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278437-c8bb24ee9eb395098ab2d7537fa384ef/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144327&Signature=a5~lebh-yxaMLDYB5s5dXOipjEiMkmItYbpDNQjzqXN0~xWJGTtX7LkgzBY5KyZZFU9cO2-eLJ27tSkf9QEcmic7MfbsPLdEMe3lI6EuD32597v1Qr2WKK0~PF8S460WHq-JXyRL4~dGC2exbwjkGEEMq-1y7EZ44daYeJYrRr0j3UHy4xKSCkU3H2xDzvHaJ2uOrrtUdFSjLCcAKOVUZz1IHUHlyiax9SDREpTTjMM7reP8BtauhvN-MzjDRw1XhLvZmrkIPGz~qCseHTlp3pCMJCbkckztvQ2ZiZ-IEj0ngIlBc6UcG1rL4qpeyKXYcVZzeC4wXwJGlN-8nXuYPA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff updated the Mercer Island Utility Board on a proposed replacement and realignment of the island’s water supply line, options to transfer Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) assets to city ownership, and next steps on a wholesale contract amendment with SPU.

Jason (city staff) said the new proposed alignment would still receive water at the East Mercer Channel bridge but would follow a route around Southeast 36th/30th and up Gallagher to Southeast 40th to reduce reliance on a 24-inch section of pipe that experienced a leak last year. He said the city has hired RH2 as design and engineering team for the project and is near the final stages of selecting a contractor under a heavy civil GCCM (general contractor/construction manager) delivery model to bring a contractor in early in the design process.

Jason described a staff recommendation that Shorewood — currently a direct customer of SPU — be permanently connected to Mercer Island’s water system when the new supply line is constructed. He said staff has discussed the proposal with SPU and did not expect opposition. \"By transferring ownership of this segment of pipe or this section, it would once water comes onto the island, everything would be city owned, operated, controlled moving forward,\" he said.

Board members asked whether Shorewood drew from Mercer Island’s reservoir during previous emergencies; staff said Shorewood had been supplied via an emergency intertie in past events and that the city’s water modeler indicates the island could absorb Shorewood demand. Staff said Shorewood’s internal private distribution system would remain the owner’s responsibility, and any detailed condition assessments of Shorewood infrastructure would be part of further information requests to SPU and Shorewood management.

Jason said council direction was to pursue a permanent connection for Shorewood, to abandon the remaining SPU 24-inch line once the new supply line is in place, and to pursue transfer of ownership for the remaining SPU assets along the island so that, from the East Channel Bridge onward, the system would be city-owned. He also said the city is exploring expanding well capacity and other resiliency measures; those options and the Confluence draft action plan will be folded into the city’s water system plan and future capital improvement programs.

Staff described timing and next steps: a contract reopener/amendment with SPU will be discussed with council (a May meeting was flagged for further details); the GCCM contractor selection may be finished within a month; and staff will bring a draft contract amendment for board review prior to council consideration. Staff also noted recruitment work for open utility-board seats and the planned May in-person/hybrid meeting.

No formal action was taken; the board requested continued updates and forthcoming council materials.","City staff updated the Mercer Island Utility Board on a proposed new water supply line, options to transfer Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) assets to the city, a plan to bring Shorewood onto Mercer Island water service, and a likely contract amendment with SPU tied to the project.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278443,"Utility board hears stormwater operations update and new NPDES requirements",2017,59000,2076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53&start=59&end=2076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641104-320f6aec4ef7486dc97d6a4d89ad7b53/thumbnail_59000.jpg","/articles/6278443/Mercer-Island/King-County/Washington/Utility-board-hears-stormwater-operations-update-and-new-NPDES-requirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278443-7eafb0b2dacceb1350870a1dbd51152a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144327&Signature=FA393gftIIe6xUMsolKCeIAfF~cjC8UfKc2~BkkyHBDIA2WFr73X-kA6orGsDvpV8jHu2JaHxDatoOl8CKzOeMIPVQIihSRmj7yITs7IaFZU0KbNiWJ4d2xcIvwXAvcEbMayJHSfgm8H7aZtDoHZLY~l9kjxYsEhr7KL2fTpxhHbTQWaqLjYRmJnO0B4mdssm4c0L2LXmhhEld-nEH9OL3taQ67ww5uG3bqJnvRqg8nLyfsBaFicsxMZ5nwg~-bkT4qIMhZg5pV0fve912bgaeFi4BeCjO9rR59WaEkgKr5eP8Y2G7lFwkkWKJgyqugUTdZ6ZQixCXaRC5eflXIggQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mercer Island Utility Board members heard a detailed report on stormwater operations and new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements during their meeting.

Brian Hertvigsen, the city’s stormwater and right-of-way manager, told the board the system “is a system that transports all the surface water through a series of conveyance systems eventually into Lake Washington because we are an island in the middle of Lake Washington.” He said the system includes 357 outfalls to the lake, 5,565 catch basins (17 more than at the last review), about 83 miles of piped conveyance, 13 miles of open ditches and 9 miles of open water courses.

Hertvigsen described the city’s maintenance program: routine pipe-camera inspections and jet cleaning, use of a contracted Vactor service to remove sediment from catch basin sumps and ponds, decanting and testing liquids sent to King County’s wastewater system, and a quick spill-response program that uses portable spill kits and the city street sweeper. He said the city recorded 20 illicit-discharge incidents in 2024 — about a 50% drop from the previous year — and emphasized that “illicit discharge” in the permit means any non-rainwater input to the system, not necessarily intentional dumping.

Deka Roble, the city’s stormwater quality technician, summarized the new NPDES 2024–2029 permit that took effect in August 2024 and added a ninth component: stormwater management for existing development. She said the city will implement elements of its Stormwater Management Action Plan (SMAP) focused on Watershed Basin 7, map public and private tree canopy island-wide to identify sites where added canopy could increase infiltration, and launch a behavior-change campaign targeted to the commercial area in the Southend (near the QFC/Starbucks) to reduce pollutant sources such as open dumpster lids.

Roble said the permit requires a source-control inspection program; the city must inspect at least 12 businesses. She described inspections of gas stations and an auto-detailing business in which staff required spill kits, catch-basin cleanings, removal of exposed chemical containers and staff training. Roble characterized inspections as primarily educational and said the city has a progressive enforcement program if businesses do not comply.

Board members pressed staff on private-property responsibility and repeat offenders. Staff said the city enforces only on city-owned system components; private systems that discharge into the city system must be kept clean by the property owner, and repeat problems are handled by code enforcement. Hertvigsen and Roble said the city will use new technologies — including a portable flow monitor installed in November to gather surcharge data — to help prioritize upgrades and capital projects.

Hertvigsen added operational details: the street sweeper is about 10 years old and staff are considering an electric replacement; year-to-date sweeping this quarter covered 51 miles of arterial roads, 16 miles of residential streets and 11 miles in the town center; decanted liquids from sediment removal are tested quarterly and routed to King County under a discharge agreement; and some unknown, smaller private laterals have been discovered and repaired when they affected the public right-of-way.

Roble noted near-term deadlines under the permit: the behavior-change campaign must be implemented by July 1 of this year, and the municipal street-sweeping program component has a 2027 milestone. Staff will report progress in the city’s annual NPDES report and continue to evaluate equipment and software to improve inspections and condition assessments.

Board Chair Tim O’Connell thanked staff for the presentation; members complimented field tours and staff work on limited budgets.

The board did not take formal action on policy changes during the presentation; staff said several items will feed the capital improvement program and will return for further discussion as projects are scoped and designed.","City stormwater staff told the Mercer Island Utility Board about routine maintenance, inventories and a new NPDES permit (2024–2029) that adds requirements for managing existing development, tree-canopy mapping, a behavior-change campaign focused on Watershed Basin 7, and a source-control inspection program.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Utility Board approves minutes, adjourns meeting

Utility board briefed on proposed new water supply line, Shorewood connection and SPU contract work

Utility board hears stormwater operations update and new NPDES requirements