Storm causes power outage, overflow at Pacific Pump Station

2004 Archived News

A small underground pump station serving Pacific and Algona in south King County overflowed Wednesday into a culvert and several residential yards. The Pacific Pump Station lost power after Puget Sound Energy power lines went down nearby during the winter storm.

As soon as they learned of the overflow, county crews set up an emergency power generator at the pump station and began cleaning up an undetermined amount of wastewater. Regular power was restored to the station about 3 a.m. today, and the cleanup has been completed.

King County's Wastewater Treatment Division is expecting bids later this month to upgrade the aging pump station and build-in an automatic standby generator.

King County coordinated its response with the City of Pacific, private contractors, and health and regulatory agencies. Despite high water flows and a few weather-related power outages, none of the county's 46 other pump stations overflowed.

The wastewater treatment utility protects public health and water quality by serving 18 cities, 15 sewer districts and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Now operated by King County, the regional utility has been preventing water pollution for nearly 40 years.