Kent-Auburn conveyance system improvement

Kent planning area

The Kent planning area involves wastewater pipeline improvements in the city of Kent. The county originally considered several pipeline alternatives through portions of downtown Kent to address pipeline capacity issues in the Mill Creek Interceptor. However, county staff recognized the likelihood of disruptions to traffic and access to businesses and public services associated with building downtown.

Seeking a less-disruptive solution to the capacity problem, we looked more closely at the service areas and pipes that need additional capacity. We found that the existing Mill Creek Interceptor in downtown Kent would have enough capacity if a short section of new pipe were constructed on the Kent East Hill to transfer flows out of the Mill Creek Interceptor pipeline to another county pipe with available capacity. The new pipe (Kent East Hill Diversion - Phase A), located near the Kent Phoenix Academy, will provide the necessary capacity while avoiding adverse impacts to downtown Kent.

County staff has been working with the Kent School District and the City of Kent to determine the preferred alignment in this area. The preferred alignment runs from the entrance to the Kent Phoenix Academy at 111th Avenue SE east along the school parking lot, south near the eastern edge of the school to the southeast corner of the property and east to the intersection of SE 264th Street and 114th Avenue SE where it connects to the existing King County pipeline.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2010, and the new pipeline will be in operation by 2011.