Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
South Park and BIPOC neighborhoods raise water‑tap policy as barrier to new housing
Summary
Two public commenters told the committee Seattle Public Utilities’ denial of water‑availability certificates and a Director’s Rule (WTR 440) have blocked housing permits in historically underserved areas and called the policy an equity issue.
Two commenters told the select committee that Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) practice of denying water‑availability certificates for taps on older feeder mains has prevented development of permitted housing in lower‑income and historically marginalized neighborhoods.
Donna Breski, a licensed professional engineer, said her review found five lots on 21st Avenue South where 16 potential dwelling units were not built because SPU issued “no new taps” certifications on aging north–south feeder mains. Breski said SPU had issued over 1,600 “not approved” water availability certificates in the last…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
