Barton CSO Control Project
Green stormwater infrastructure
June 2013 Update --
Join King County and community partners in South Park on Saturday, June 15, to learn about natural drainage solutions through the RainWise Program, and to celebrate completion of a new roadside natural drainage project. A ribbon-cutting of the drainage project, plus refreshments and information about the RainWise Program’s rain garden rebates will be featured at this community celebration, which takes place from 10 a.m. to noon in South Park, 1057 S. Southern St., Seattle. Several RainWise contractors who install rain gardens will be at the event, along with a trailer loaded with rain water cisterns of all sizes.
May 2013 Update --
The final Arborist Report and list of trees that will be impacted by construction are now available in our project library.
The voluntary incentive program, RainWise, is up and running in the Barton basin. RainWise provides up to 100% the cost of a cistern or rain garden for eligible residents. To learn more about the program and find out if you are eligible, visit www.rainwise.seattle.gov. To learn more about King County’s green stormwater infrastructure program, including RainWise, visit here.
March 2013 Update --
The Barton CSO Control Project team has been hard at work finalizing the street designs for the bioretention swales in the Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods, and preparing for construction. Read the March 2013 Project Update (PDF) to find out more about the project’s current status.
To review landscape drawings of impacted streets, including information on the fate of existing trees, visit the landscaping and trees page or contact Kristine Cramer for more information: 206-263-3184 or Kristine.cramer@kingcounty.gov.
Barton basin and project location.
Barton CSO Control Project GSI area and Barton basin (PDF)
Project description
King County is designing bioretention swales, a type of green stormwater infrastructure, in the City of Seattle’s planting strips in the Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods. Street runoff will be diverted away from storm drains and into the vegetated swales. Once in the swales, the water will filter through soil to an underdrain, which will take the water deep underground and allow it to slowly infiltrate into the soils. This bioretention swale system is needed to reduce the amount of stormwater entering the combined sewer system which can cause combined sewer overflows (CSOs) of sewage mixed with stormwater at the Barton Pump Station near the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
Learn more about the project area and elements.
Why does King County need to do this project?
The county must meet current regulations set by the Washington Department of Ecology that require no more than one untreated discharge per year on average. Taking stormwater out of the conveyance system in Sunrise Heights and Westwood will reduce CSOs at the Barton Pump Station. Like many older cities, Seattle built one system of pipes to carry both wastewater and stormwater to treatment plants. To prevent sewer backups into homes and streets, the conveyance system includes overflow locations that release excess flows directly to Seattle water bodies during storms. CSOs contain more harmful chemicals and disease-causing pathogens than stormwater alone. King County currently averages four overflows per year at the Barton Pump Station, releasing approximately four million gallons of dilute sewage and stormwater into Puget Sound.
Why is this project happening in Sunrise Heights and Westwood?
There are two primary reasons for siting the bioretention swales in this area.
- Most of the neighborhood (150 acres) is connected to the combined sewer system. That means that when you run water in your house, the wastewater flows into pipes that also capture stormwater.
- 45% of all the combined sewer and stormwater flows to the Barton Pump Station comes from Sunrise Heights and Westwood.
Capturing the stormwater before it enters the sewer pipes and sending it deep underground reduces flows in the pipes during large storms and prevents overflows, which helps King County meet its regulatory requirements and reduces pollution into Puget Sound.
What have we heard from the residents?
Working with the community during the planning and early design phases of the Barton CSO Control Project, King County has identified neighborhood concerns. The project team will work closely with the community throughout design and construction to address the following concerns:
- Parking/traffic
- Disability access
- Swale crossing locations and materials
- Existing trees and plants
- Maintenance
- Utilities
- Landscaping plans
- Drainage
- Length of construction and impacts on residents
Learn more by viewing the project frequently asked questions.
Project schedule
King County is committed to working closely with project area neighbors. Please contact us at any time for more information, to ask questions, voice concerns, or request a block meeting. Please contact Kristine Cramer, Kristine.cramer@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-3184.
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