Issaquah proposes $9.3m water capital push as treatment-plant planning begins

Issaquah proposes $9.3m water capital push as treatment-plant planning beginsIssaquah's proposed 2027-28 budget allocates $5.33 million in 2027 and $4.01 million in 2028 for 12 water capital projects. The programme combines planning for a future water treatment plant with rehabilitation of pumping, storage, metering and distribution assets.

The proposed Water Fund budgets $20.28 million of expenditure in 2027 and $18.94 million in 2028, against revenues of $19.14 million and $19.70 million respectively.

Water capital expenditure is proposed at $5.33 million in 2027 and $4.01 million in 2028, including $2.39 million for the Central Park Booster Station retrofit in 2027.

The capital plan includes $582,000 in 2027 and $1.60 million in 2028 for the Water Treatment Plant project; the city says it will initiate planning and conceptual design after site determination in late 2026.

The proposal includes $900,000 annually for water-main replacement, $200,000 annually to replace meter transmitter units, and $40,000 in 2027 plus $220,000 in 2028 for wireless meter-reading implementation.

Council held its first required public hearing on 5 October; further deliberations are scheduled for 26 October, a final hearing for 2 November and budget adoption is anticipated on 16 November.

Issaquah, Washington has proposed a $9.34 million, two-year water capital programme that would begin planning and conceptual design for a future water treatment plant while funding major booster-station, distribution and metering works. The programme, presented as part of the city's proposed 2027-28 biennial budget at a 5 October public hearing, contains $5.33 million of water capital expenditure in 2027 and $4.01 million in 2028. It covers 12 projects. The council took no budget-adoption action at the meeting. The largest single 2027 allocation is $2.39 million for the Central Park Booster Station retrofit. The budget also proposes $900,000 per year for the Water Main Replacement Program, $582,000 in 2027 and $1.60 million in 2028 for the Water Treatment Plant project, and $396,841 in 2027 for the Talus 1 and 2 booster-station retrofit. The city's Public Works budget narrative says the Utilities Engineering Division will update the Water System Plan under Department of Health rules to reflect growth projections, new development, revised service plans and capital improvements. It also says the city will initiate planning and conceptual design for the future water treatment plant after a site determination expected in late 2026. Further planned water works include $535,500 in 2028 for the SE Newport Way pressure-reducing-valve master meter; $518,000 in 2028 for the Terra II Booster Station retrofit; $200,000 in 2028 for Summit Reservoirs retrofit; and $263,500 in 2027 for Gilman Well House and Equipment Replacement. The 2027 programme also includes $250,000 for a Montreux chlorine analyser and $300,000 for a water-system seismic-resiliency study. Metering is another defined component. The capital plan assigns $40,000 in 2027 and $220,000 in 2028 to wireless meter-reading implementation, while separately providing $200,000 in each year to replace meter transmitter units. Public Works said it would partner with IT, utility billing and utilities engineering to develop and begin implementing advanced metering infrastructure. Operational priorities include completing the upgrade of water-facility SCADA communications to cellular protocol and associated security upgrades; increasing pressure-reducing-valve inspections and control-valve maintenance; revising the coliform monitoring and sampling plan; inspecting and retrofitting air-vacuum release valves in the floodplain; and completing an EPA-required lead service-line inventory update. The proposed Water Fund shows revenues of $19.14 million in 2027 and $19.70 million in 2028, with expenditures of $20.28 million and $18.94 million respectively. Charges for goods and services are budgeted at $17.58 million in 2027 and $18.28 million in 2028. The fund's estimated ending balance is projected at $21.81 million in 2027 and $21.79 million in 2028. Budget manager Michael Blunt told the council that the first hearing was one of two required before adoption. No member of the public spoke at the hearing. Council budget deliberations are scheduled for 26 October, followed by the final budget hearing on 2 November. Adoption is anticipated on 16 November.