Articles

Effective April 2, 2023, the convenience fee to make credit card payments by phone will be $3.45, and online payments will be $3.95. This also applies to "Auto-Pay" online.

To avoid the convenience fees completely, you may pay by check, cash or money order in person at the district office, in our drop boxes after hours, or by mail. You can also set up FREE auto pay draft payments directly from your checking account.

The Four Creeks Ranch Water System (FCR) (DOH ID# 22740-4) is a privately owned, Community Group A water system located in unincorporated King County, just south of Issaquah and east of the Renton Highlands, Washington. The system serves approximately 150 residents with 60 active connections, fed from a single on-site well. FCR operates under a Satellite Management Agreement (SMA) with NW Water Systems based out of Port Orchard, WA. Additionally, FCR has a Time and Materials Contract with King County Water District 90 (KCWD90) (PWSID 41150), allowing for occasional water system maintenance and repairs to be performed by KCWD90.

The FCR community has previously had preliminary discussions regarding water system consolidation with KCWD90 and both parties were interested in exploring the possibility further. KCWD90 has since approached FCR to discuss a consolidation where FCR would transfer all water system assets to KCWD90 and KCWD90 would become the water service provider. The relative locations of the FCR and KCWD90 systems are shown on Figure 1 – Vicinity Map. FCR is approximately 1.1 miles east of the easterly edge of the KCWD90 service area boundary and nearest KCWD90 water mains.

The WA-Department of Health (DOH) has issued KCWD90 a Consolidation Feasibility Grant. The purpose of this grant is to fund a preliminary engineering study, public outreach, cultural reviews, identify land acquisition, and feasibility study for Four Creeks Ranch water system to consolidate with KCWD90 water system. A copy of the grant’s Scope of Work is included in the Appendix. This report is intended to satisfy the preliminary engineering study requirement.

To view the Four Creeks Consolidation Study, please click here.

Love to garden? Worried about What to Plant?

This year's Savvy Gardener Classes are full of great information about what to plant, how to plant, how to water and even rain gardens! Join us for these free, fun and informative classes. To sign up email KirstenA@kcwd90.com or call 425-55-9600.

The EPA is requiring all Water Districts to conduct a Lead & Copper Service Line Inventory.  Lead service lines from the meter to the home were used before 1969.  We do not have records of what your service line is made of.  If your home was built during or before 1968, please take a minute and fill out our online form.  We appreciate your help in meeting the EPA's requirement.

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. 

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.

This list of resources is available to customers who may need help with utilities, rent, food, etc. We encourage you to pursue these options if you are struggling and need some help.

1. Bellevue LifeSpring
   Belleve LifeSpring helps with food, clothing, and emergency rent assistance.
   (425) 451-1175
   info@bellevuelifespring.org
   
   
2. Disaster Cash Assistance Program (DCAP)
   DCAP is available to families or individuals without children who face an emergency and don’t have the money to meet their basic needs. This program is available only once within a 12-month period.
   
   To apply online, visit WashingtonConnection.org and then call 877-501-2233 to complete the required interview. To apply by phone, call 877-501-2233 to complete the entire application process over the phone.
   
   
3. Hopelink
   Housing, transportation, family development, financial assistance, employment programs, and five food banks.
   (425) 869-6000
   
   
4. Issaquah Community Services (ICS)
   Available to residents living within the Issaquah School District. Issaquah Community Services (ICS) helps families with emergency aid to prevent homelessness with rent assistance. It may help pay utility bills, bus tickets and other miscellaneous expenses. Payment is given on behalf of the client; cash is never given.
   (425) 837-3125
   icsoffice180@gmail.com
   http://www.issaquahcommunityservices.org/need-help/
   
   
5. King County 24-Hour Crisis Line
   The 24-Hour Crisis Line provides immediate help to individuals, families, and friends of people in emotional crisis.
   (866) 427-4747
   
   
6. King County Food Banks
   http://verdanthealth.org/wp-content/uploads/King-County-Food-Bank.pdf
   
   
7. King County Housing Authority (KCHA)
   KCHA provides rental housing and rental assistance.
   (206) 574-1190
   StephenN@kcha.org
   
   
8. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
   LIHEAP helps low-income households with their home energy bills.
   (253) 517-2263
   https://mschelps.org/gethelp/energy/energyeligibility
   
   
9. Renton Salvation Army
   Electric: (425) 255-5969, Ext. 13
   Rent: (425) 255-5969, Ext. 14
   
   
10. St. Vincent De Paul
    Requests for assistance with rent, utilities, food, etc.
    (206) 767-6449

Freezing weather often approaches unexpectedly and many organizations find themselves unprepared. Organizations with buildings located in a moderate climate are often more at risk of facing frozen pipes and water damage due to the lack of experience or attention given to cold weather preparation.

When water freezes, it expands up to ten percent in volume. It is important to note that fire sprinkler pipes tend to freeze before other water pipes because the water is not moving. When water freezes in a sprinkler pipe, it creates an obstruction that can make the system inoperable during a fire. As ice in the pipe expands, added pressure can cause the pipe to burst.

As freezing temperatures approach, the following guidelines will help organizations identify areas venerable to freezing conditions and provide tips for prevention of frozen pipes.

Prior to Cold Weather:

• Develop a water intrusion plan that includes winterization.
• Identify buildings, equipment, processes and piping (wet and dry) that are dependent upon heat (or above freezing temperatures) for safety and proper operation; this may include sprinkler piping, domestic water piping, sewer piping and any process that contains a liquid vulnerable to freezing.
• Minimize the exterior openings to all buildings, especially vacant buildings.
• Drain liquids from any idle equipment and piping where appropriate.

During Cold Weather:

• Monitor weather temperatures in vulnerable areas. Critical operations and areas should be monitored with low temperature alarms connected to a monitoring station.
• Close windows, vents and doors of buildings and insulate where possible. Tarps may be used to provide temporary wind breaks.
• Increase security rounds in areas that are susceptible to pipe freezing and water damage.
• Maintain an inside temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Place portable heaters in areas that may be subject to freezing. Conduct routine inspections of portable heaters.

NOTE: Fires often result from the misuse of temporary heaters. When purchasing or renting a temporary heater, the heater should carry the Underwriters Laboratories listed label. Temporary heaters also should have standard safety controls, such as high-temperature cut-outs, flame supervision, flame failure and preset safety regulators. Heaters must be placed away from combustible materials and operated according to manufactures instructions.

In the event all efforts fail to keep a building heated and temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, it may be necessary to shut off and completely drain wet pipe fire sprinkler systems to prevent further damage. Any sprinkler system shut down must be done for the shortest possible duration and fire system impairment procedures must be followed.

• If pipes freeze, turn off the water supply and repair the damaged piping. If the frozen pipe is part of a fire sprinkler system, Fire Impairment Procedures should be implemented.
• Do not use open flames to thaw frozen pipes or other equipment.

Should you have further questions on cold weather preparation for you building, please do not hesitate to contact Alliant Risk Control Consulting at RiskControl@Alliant.com.

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