Significant funding is needed for seismic upgrades for vulnerable and critical facilities to ensure regional drinking water systems are seismically resilient and can recover rapidly after an event. Forum members anticipate at least $530 million is needed over the next decade for upgrades.
The Forum plays an important role in ensuring coordinated and consistent messaging. This messaging will increase awareness, help agencies identify and share information about funding opportunities, and build support to increase funding.
The Forum recommends a long-term, multi-pronged approach to take advantage of state and federal funding opportunities. General awareness of seismic vulnerabilities and the need to proactively address them is low. Ongoing outreach and education is needed to build and maintain awareness of the problem and importance of proactive preventive work.
Currently, there is no single funding source dedicated to seismic upgrades. Utilities pursue funding individually, primarily from existing funding sources. Most funding sources are loans, some of which are low interest. Examples include:
Examples of projects that need funding:
Cedar River Pipelines
The Cedar River Pipelines convey two-thirds of the water used by the 1.5 million people served by Seattle Public Utilities in Seattle, surrounding communities, and east King County. These transmission pipelines are seismically vulnerable and repairing them after an earthquake could take weeks to months. The recommended upgrade for the Cedar River Pipeline 1, 2, and 3 is provide flexible (seismic) couplings at three critical and seismically vulnerable connection points and a former river channel crossing. This work will optimize the likelihood that enough water could be supplied to meet basic firefighting, public health, and economic needs after a major earthquake. The estimated cost is about $13.6 million. Design work is anticipated to be completed in 2024 and construction work is estimated to be finished in early 2026.
Reservoir 3
Reservoir 3 is a covered, below-grade concrete reservoir with a capacity of 20 million gallons. It is the most critical reservoir in Everett’s water system as it provides water to 400,000 people in Snohomish county. A recent seismic structural assessment showed the reservoir to be seismically inadequate to withstand a magnitude 7.4 South Whidbey Island Fault event and recommended that the reservoir be replaced. Reservoir 3 will be constructed in two phases. Phase 1 will construct two 4-million gallon reservoirs in 2024-2025 and Phase 2 will construct an additional 12+ million gallon reservoir in 2025-2026. The construction costs for Reservoir 3 is estimated to be $100 million. Learn More.
Hood Street Reservoir
The Hood Street Reservoir in Tacoma, Washington was upgraded in 2022, it provides water to nearby hospitals - a critical need. The seismic retrofit work includes reinforcing the concrete structure, a new tank lining, anchor and bracing of equipment, new pipe connections, and a new roof coating. When the upgrades are complete, the reservoir will be less likely to leak after an earthquake, thereby adding to the overall resiliency of the Tacoma Water system. Construction costs were about $4.4 million. Learn More.
Cedar River Pipeline No. 3, February 23, 1923 Courtesy Seattle Municipal Archives (2012)
Reservoir 3 Photo courtesy of EverettWa.gov
Hood Street Reservoir Photo Courtesy of Tacoma Public Utilities