Wastwater overflows into Meydenbauer Slough

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, October 13, 2009

King County sewer utility employees rushed to stop a wastewater overflow discovered Sunday morning at a temporary pump station in Bellevue.

The Wastewater Treatment Division is investigating why pumps didn’t automatically activate at the temporary King County facility.

It’s estimated that about 36,000 gallons of wastewater overflowed, some of it into Meydenbauer Slough, which feeds into Lake Washington.

County staff took water quality samples and notified health and regulatory agencies about the overflow.

The King County Wastewater Treatment Division is using the temporary pump facility while its permanent Bellevue Pump Station at Southeast Sixth Street and 102nd Avenue Southeast is upgraded.

That project is expected to be complete in Fall of 2010. Information about the upgrade is available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/Construction/East/Bellevue.aspx.