It's Salmon SEEson!

Each Fall, salmon make a long, remarkable trek to spawn in streams and rivers across the Puget Sound region.  You can find virtual viewing opportunities and educational resources on the Salmon SEEson website: SalmonSEEson.

We share our drinking water supply with salmon, trout and other fish.  It's particularly important to conserve water in the summer and fall months when streamflows are naturally low and adult salmon are returning to rivers to spawn.

Salmon have a challenging journey; please be fish-friendly and use water wisely. For tips and tools to reduce water use, visit the Saving Water Partnership

Do You Have a Backflow Device?

KCWD90 has partnered with Backflow Solutions, Inc. ("BSI"), a third-party contractor, to manage the District's Cross Connection Control Program. BSI provides a web-based tracking program and a more efficient and cost-effective means of managing the District's inventory of backflow prevention assemblies.

What does this mean for you as a backflow customer? Click here to find out. 

Here to Serve Our Entire Community

Clean water is essential to the pursuit of health and happiness and King County Water District No. 90 exists to provide these services to everyone in our community. We serve a diverse population and we want to communicate to you, our customers, that we support equality. 

Policy Change Notification - Testing for Customers with Backflow Devices

Dear Backflow Customer,

You have been identified as a customer with a backflow device and have been included in our annual backflow testing program. King County Water District No. 90 (the District) plans to make significant changes to its backflow testing program effective immediately. Please read below for details:

Nearly 1,300 of the District's 8,150 customers (about 16%) have backflow devices on their property that ensures water can only flow one direction. This device protects the District's water system from contamination through fire systems, irrigation systems, or commercial properties “pulling” chemicals into the drinking water system, should there be a backflow event (i.e. a main break or a fire). The District is required by Washington Law (RCW 246-290-460) to have a backflow program that identifies properties requiring a backflow device and to ensure that these devices are tested annually.

Starting in the Summer of 2020, the administration of the District's backflow program will be outsourced to a third party, BSI Backflow Solutions, LLC (“BSI”). The BSI program requires that all future test reports be filed online through the BSI portal. Moving forward, both you and your previous tester will be notified by BSI each year of when to submit your annual test. The letter will include a unique customer number that your tester will need in order to file your annual test report online. Starting September 1, 2020, your tester will be required to pay $14.95 to file each backflow test online. Ultimately, this fee will be your responsibility, and not the District's.

In past years, the District has sent out letters on May 1^st giving customers 60 days to have their devices tested. This year, due to Covid-19, the District had to delay the program because testers notified us that they were unable to obtain enough personal protective equipment to safely test and meet customers at their homes. As we get back to a more normal schedule, District staff has had to determine how to catch-up on necessary work that was delayed due to the quarantine. The backflow program is extremely time intensive for staff, requiring hundreds of hours of staff time every year. Moving to an online submittal format will save the District a significant amount of time that will be reallocated to other projects.

So far in 2020, the District has already received 430 test reports (out of 1,300 devices or 33%). For those of you who have already submitted your report, this change will not impact you until 2021. Additionally, due to the late notice, we were able to negotiate a one-time “free period” to submit your 2020 test report. This free period will be between August 1 to August 31, 2020. Prior to August 1, completed test reports can be emailed to the District at info@kcwd90.com. No test reports will be accepted at the District after July 31.

If you have not submitted your 2020 backflow test report, you can expect your first letter toward the end of July. You do not need to wait for the letter to initiate testing. For your reference, the 2019 list of backflow testers is available on the District's website at https://www.kcwd90.com/forms/000103.pdf.

If you have already submitted your 2020 report, your first backflow letter from BSI will arrive in May of 2021. We anticipate that in 2021 we will be on a more normal schedule with backflow letters being issued in early May and tests due by the end of June.

If you have questions, please contact me by email, darceyp@kcwd90.com.

Sincerely,

Darcey Peterson
General Manager,
King County Water District No. 90