68th Ave NE Bridge Closure FAQs

What happened to the bridge? What are you doing to ensure it does not happen again?

Contractor tunneling construction activities resulted in a sinkhole on the roadway. The sewer main underneath the bridge is being relocated in preparation for the larger bridge replacement project the City of Kenmore will undertake in 2019. NUD engineers decided to install the new sewer line underneath the road via tunneling to allow the bridge to remain open during construction. The tunneling work has been completed. With the existing sinkhole filled in and the road repaved, for this particular project, there is no further danger of road failure from sinkholes.

When will the sidewalk along the southbound lanes be restored?

The contractor will restore the sidewalk along the southbound lanes by the end of February 2019.

Was anyone at fault? Who is paying for the unexpected repairs/over-time costs? Does NUD have project insurance for this to help cover?

Both Northshore Utility District and contractors maintain insurance policies to protect from unforeseen damages as a result of construction. Tunneling work can be complex and high risk. At this time, it has not been determined which provider will cover the additional costs resulting from the sinkhole and corresponding delays in construction.

Why couldn’t NUD keep one lane open to keep traffic moving?

Although the northbound lanes on the bridge seemed stable, it was determined that the high traffic volume created potentially hazardous conditions. This is why the lane was initially opened for emergency vehicle access only while the sinkhole was being repaired.

Why didn’t NUD place more detour signs to help route traffic?

To help route commuters over the long and widespread detour resulting from the bridge closure, NUD crews obtained every electronic message board available as far out as the City of Kent. Additionally, crews staged orange detour signs along the route in both directions. We acted as quickly as possible and used all available resources to alert commuters all along the detour route, but recognize we were not able to reach every neighborhood affected. We have plans in place to secure additional signage should a future incident arise requiring the bridge's closure.

What about the trees along the bridge vulnerable to being uprooted from the sinkhole?

Crews removed three trees (already planned for removal) on the west side of the bridge whose root structures may have been compromised by the sinkhole. At this time, NUD and Kenmore engineers do not foresee any further potential for fallen trees over the bridge roadway.

What does this project have to do with the upcoming bridge replacement? How will the bridge replacement affect traffic closures?

NUD’s sewer line replacement work is part of the City of Kenmore’s upcoming bridge replacement project; the sewer line had to be relocated to enable the bridge work. The City of Kenmore expects bridge replacement construction to start in Spring 2019. They will be sharing more detailed information on construction and traffic impacts in coming months. Please check www.kenmorewa.gov/WestSammamishRiverBridge for current information.

Who should I contact if I have questions about the bridge replacement project?

NUD engineer Valerie Tokumoto is the lead contact on the sewer line replacement project. Please direct inquiries to engineering@nud.net. For questions about Kenmore’s bridge replacement project, please contact John Vicente, City Engineer, at (425) 398-8900.

by Leif Jensen

Bridge (68th Ave NE) Update: Traffic Restricted to One Lane on Southbound Side

KENMORE, WA - December 20, 2018 

[Updated 11:30 a.m.] The 68^th Ave NE bridge remains open in both directions. However, with the risk posed by weather conditions and ongoing construction, NUD and the City of Kenmore are taking the precaution of closing the west side of the southbound lane, the lane adjacent to ongoing work in the boat launch parking lot. Traffic will continue to move steadily. We are also stationing crews to monitor the bridge condition throughout the day for any changes. Crews remain on alert and ready to respond as needed.

by Leif Jensen

UPDATE on Bridge Closure on 68th Ave NE: Road Now Open to All Access

KENMORE, Washington—December 19, 2018

by Leif Jensen

Bridge Closure on 68th Ave NE

KENMORE, Washington—December 18, 2018

[Updated 9:00 a.m.]

Repairs are underway to fill the sinkhole on the southbound lane of the Sammamish River Bridge (68th Ave NE). While engineers and county officials continue to assess and monitor the bridge’s condition, we anticipate repaving will begin early this afternoon. The northbound lane remains open to emergency vehicle access, and pedestrian and bicycle traffic only. The road will remain closed until engineers determine that the repairs efforts are stable and safe for general traffic.

Commuters are still being detoured along 96^th Ave NE/Waynita Way. We have been working to route traffic cops and NUD crews to the most congested areas to help relieve some of the road stress.

We understand the significant impacts this situation has caused. While safety is our primary concern, both NUD and the City of Kenmore are doing everything we can to reopen the road as promptly and responsibly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

We anticipate a further update by early afternoon with road reopening timeline, and will continue to provide updates as we receive information.

The most up to date information can be accessed at www.nud.net and the City of Kenmore’s Twitter feed @KenmoreWA.

68TH AVE NE BRIDGE CLOSURE - DETOUR ROUTE

PLEASE ANTICIPATE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS TRAVELLING 522E/W. USE ALTERNATE ROUTE IF POSSIBLE.

by Leif Jensen

NUD Customer Alert: Beware Phone Payment Scams

Northshore Utility District (NUD) was recently made aware of phone scams targeting District customers. The scammers threaten service termination, unless the customer makes immediate payment of a delinquent bill over the phone.

NUD never solicits payments over the phone; in fact, NUD does not take phone payments. Currently, if payments are delinquent, District customers will receive a reminder letter, not a phone call.

Please beware and protect yourself from this and other potential scams that target utility customers:

• Any caller who demands immediate payment is suspicious.
• Scammers claiming to be utility representatives may leave a message to call back, usually an unfamiliar 1-800 or area code number.
• Do not give access to any person claiming to be a utility representative without proper identification. Northshore Utility District representatives will always identify themselves with a District vehicle, uniform, and official ID badge.

Please contact us (or associated utility provider) first if you receive a suspicious call, and do not share credit card or bank information over the phone. A NUD representative can be reached 24 hrs/day at (425) 398-4400. Contact law enforcement if you see someone impersonating a District representative without proper identification.

by Leif Jensen

Spring Cleaning inside the Westhill Water Tank

A three-man NUD crew recently spent a wet week in the belly of a steel beast 142 feet high and 67.3 feet around.

Every five years, each one of our water tanks gets a deep clean pressure wash inside. This year it was Westhill's turn, our largest tank located at 19100 88th Ave NE in Bothell.

How do we empty and clean a 3 million gallon tank? Very carefully. First we drain the water slowly, over the course of one to two days, to avoid affecting water pressure levels. In the emptied tank, crews walk along a specially-built access gangway (photo below) to shoot high pressure water along the tank floor and lower walls, rinsing away dirt and sediment. Although treated at the Tolt water source before it reaches NUD's pipes, any water source will naturally contain dirt particles that settle at the bottom of pipes and storage containers. Think of a Britta water filter, only on a much larger scale.

Once cleaned, the tank is then very carefully refilled. Our water quality officer keeps close track of water quality data to ensure the proper temperature, pH and chlorine residual levels are maintained.

On a side note, our crew members do practice climbing the 140 foot ladder to the top of the tank. Even with protective climbing gear, it can be quite scary!

Thanks to our crews hard work, Westhill now has a fresh interior shine. The outside will get it's own scheduled summer cleaning.

Interested in seeing inside a water tank? Watch this short video clip, footage courtesy Lead Utility Worker Willie Anderson. (The noise in the background is the pressure washer).

by Leif Jensen

Board of Commissioners Votes for NO 2018 Rate Increases

March 15, 2018 - Kenmore, WA

Each year Northshore Utility District (NUD) evaluates its budget needs, weighing service and operating costs against future rate revenues. The District held public hearings on February 26, and March 5, 2018, regarding proposed rate adjustments that would take effect with all billing starting March 15, 2018.

No water or sewer rate increases for 2018

After strong consideration of public input and the District’s funding needs, the NUD Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a Rate Resolution for 2018 with NO WATER OR SEWER RATE INCREASES, despite a 2.6% increase in our wholesale cost of water from Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). No sewer treatment cost increases were levied by King County for 2018. See rate tables below.

Balancing rising costs and service quality investments

When determining rates, the District looks at many factors related to providing your water and sewer services. Like any agency, we face continually rising business costs. These include increases in wholesale water and wastewater treatment rates, costs for security and technology, power, communications, construction, and increased wages and local municipal fees.

At the same time, we work to make smart investments to increase the quality of your services—investments in infrastructure to accommodate a growing service area and keep up with aging pipelines, IT security systems to protect your information, and new technology to improve internal efficiency and customer experience.

Efficient operating practices and reserves help fund some cost increases

Many agencies pass on all annual cost increases to customers, or require ratepayers to fund specific projects by special bond. NUD does neither. We work hard to keep internal costs down—and a comparatively low staff to service connection ratio—while funding improvement projects from reserves.

It is important to us to be prudent stewards of your rate dollars and keep your rate adjustments as even as possible, while still giving you the service you expect and deserve. If you can identify an area where we can be even more efficient, we welcome your feedback.

NUD rate comparison: lower rates than most neighboring utilities

Tables comparing our rates to neighboring King County water and sewer utilities are below for your reference.

Finding a meaningful comparison for rates among providers is often difficult. Agencies purchase water from different sources; some have their own sewer processing plants and do not rely on King County. These can have a profound impact on rates, making comparisons less meaningful.

^*The sample water and sewer bills do not include any franchise fees charged by, and paid to, the respective cities that impose such fees on the District. They also do not include the utility tax that city utilities impose on their own direct service ratepayers. If you are a City of Kirkland resident, the City’s franchise fee is added as a multiplier to your water and sewer service rates. Residents of Bothell, Kenmore, and Lake Forest Park see their respective franchise fees listed as a separate line item on their water and sewer bills.

⁺NUD is the only provider to offer such a discount.

Questions or comments?

If you have any questions regarding your rates, please feel free to call us at (425) 398-4402 or email us at billing@nud.net. Your elected Commissioners welcome the opportunity to discuss policy or the future direction of the District with you. Please feel free to contact any of them by phone or email. Contact information is listed on our website at www.nud.net/board.

by Leif Jensen

FAQ: Why Is My Fall Water Bill So High?

Recently many customers have contacted us with concerns about a higher-than-normal water bill.  We want to address some of your FAQs here.

First, a few general things to keep in mind when you receive your September/October water bill:

Your first fall bi-monthly bill covers the majority of your summer water use, the biggest portion of which is usually from outdoor water use. It's easy to take for granted how much water a few hours a day - even a few hours a week - of irrigating racks up.

One hour of watering with a 5/8" standard hose uses approximately 1,020 gallons of water, or 136 cubic feet (cf) (1 cf = 7.48 gal), or 1.36 ccf (NUD's billing units). Multiply out 3 times per week for 8 weeks, and you have 33 additional units of water on your bill already! Many people do other water-heavy activities in summer, like filling up pools or pressure washing.

In addition, this unusual summer gave us hot weather plus a record 56 days without rain!  Many of us attempting to keep green landscapes had to put in extra water work.

NUD reads water meters remotely, to avoid human error.

In 2012, NUD exchanged all of our manually-read meters for electronic radio-transmitted versions. When we collect meter use data for your bi-monthly bill, our techs drive a vehicle equipped with a computer that records the radio-transmitted data. Collecting information electronically reduces human error and the possibility of inaccurate manual recording.

Other parts of your bill are affected by higher water usage.

Three-tier billing structure:  To encourage conservation, we bill in a tiered-usage structure. This means, when your water usage goes up, you pay a higher rate per ccf. One to 10 ccfs is billed at $3.45/ccf, 11-20 ccfs at $4.45 and over 20 at $5.45.

Increased sewer usage charges:  Sewer usage charges have to do with how much “used” water you are releasing to be processed through the wastewater system. When water consumption is 15 ccfs and over, we assess $4.00 per ccf sewer usage charges (in addition to base charge). Few single-family homes reach this threshold.

Franchise fees: These fees are set by and paid directly to the city. Because they are defined as a percentage of your bill, when your bill increases from higher water usage, your franchise fee will increase as well.  More info on franchise fees is available here.

What you can do to reduce water usage:

We recognize a very high water bill can come as a shock. The good news is that your summer water bills are the highest you'll experience all year. But there are a few things you can do to lower your water use during the summer, and throughout the year.

Be very careful setting irrigation timing systems. Recently a customer’s meter data showed an irrigation timer system set to run over 100 cfs (750 gallons) of water every night! If you have an automatic irrigation timer, check the settings regularly - or water waste can add up fast. Doubly so for soaker hoses left unchecked.

Audit your own water usage using your water meter. We read your meter remotely once every two months. But you can track your water usage more frequently at your water meter. Knowing how to read your meter can help you detect leaks early, measure the amount of water used, and understand your water charges. Find step-by-step information on how to read your water meter here.

Watch the comparison graph on your bill. If you’re out of normal usage range for a specific time of year, this could mean you have a leak somewhere. But when you check the comparison graphs, make sure to compare apples to apples – i.e. this year's summer water use against last year’s summer use.

Check toilets for leaks regularly. A silently leaking toilet can waste gallons a day without notice.

And call us anytime to talk through your bill.

Hopefully this helps answer some of the questions circulating about unusually high water bills. We are always happy to talk with you in person. Contact our billing department at (425) 398-4402 or billing@nud.net.

by Leif Jensen

How You Can Help Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

Kenmore, WA - August 29, 2017

TEXAS FLOODS/HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF DONATIONS

In response to numerous inquiries from our community Northshore Emergency Management Coalition is providing the following recommendations for relief donations for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

• RED CROSS:  The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help provide immediate relief. Text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. You can also visit redcross.org or call 1- 800-RED CROSS.
• UNITED WAY:  Text UWFLOOD to 41444 to donate to the United Way Flood Relief Fund.
• SALVATION ARMY:  Donations to support The Salvation Army's Hurricane Harvey relief efforts can be made at helpsalvationarmy.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

DONATE CASH, NOT SUPPLIES. Most charities prefer monetary donations instead of supplies. These are more flexible and cause less of a strain on the charity, allowing them to help more.

USAID explains, "Unlike material donations, cash involves no transportation costs, shipping delays, or customs fees. It also enables relief organizations to spend more time providing aid by spending less time managing goods."

Thank you for your generosity.

To get involved with emergency preparedness efforts in your local community:

• KENMORE/LAKE FOREST PARK:  Contact NEMCo Emergency Manager Carl Lunak at (425) 354-1744 or clunak@northshorefire.com
• KIRKLAND:  Visit Kirkland's Office of Emergency Management, or Kirkland Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) websites.
• BOTHELL:  Visit Bothell's Office of Emergency Management, or Bothell CERT websites.
• WOODINVILLE:  Visit Woodinville's Office of Emergency Management, or Woodinville CERT websites.

by Leif Jensen