City engineer outlines utilities chapter, warns lack of sewer could limit growth

Dominic, Rainier's city engineer, told the council the utilities chapter is primarily an inventory of the city's water mains, reservoirs, pump stations, hydrants and stormwater facilities and sets a level of service for water pressure and fire flow. "It's an inventory of what you have," he said, adding the element also identifies capital improvements for 6- and 20-year planning horizons.

Dominic said the city controls its water system but has no public sewer system, so most residents rely on individual septic systems. "You don't have a public sewer system," he said, and added that bringing sewer service to the entire community would be expensive: "The way you're going to meet it with a sewer system is to build the entire balanced sewer system and a wastewater treatment plant." He estimated construction costs could land in the tens of millions of dollars.

He also discussed stormwater: undersized culverts and drainage pits can require capital work to reduce flooding risks, and some recurring problems occur at intersections maintained by state transportation agencies. Dominic emphasized the utilities element ties into the capital facilities list so projects are prioritized for grant applications and state funding.

Council members asked for clearer documentation and hard copies of the draft chapters to help identify specific goals and policies. Staff said they will provide printable copies and circulate contact information for further questions.