Anacortes, Washington, Moves Forward with $19 Million Sewer Outfall Project
The city of Anacortes, Washington, is moving forward with its sewer outfall relocation project.
This project will provide a new route for the outfall, repair damaged equipment and include a new park area for Anacortes.
The city council approved the shoreline substantial development permit and shoreline conditional use permit at a Dec. 20 meeting. A green space pocket park will be put in at U Avenue as part of the outfall project, and this must be completed within 12 months of the outfall relocation completion, according to the approved version of the permits, reported The Skagit Valley Herald.
The outfall project is expected to cost approximately $19.5 million and improve storm water flow from major storm events, keeping untreated wastewater from being discharged into the Guemes Channel. Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are expected to cover these costs.
The city’s storm water and wastewater systems are separate, and so storm water is discharged directly into surrounding water without treatment.
The total length of the new outfall pipe is more than 2,660 feet, extending 1,631 feet out into the Guemes Channel and ending with an 86-foot diffuser.
The old outfall will be decommissioned after the new one is finished, and part of the project includes excavation. The excavation must provide: appropriate erosion protection; removal of contaminated sediment; and backfill and cleanup of debris and garbage at the shoreline and in the marine environment.
One of the conditions is replanting three trees in the area for every tree that is removed, according to The Skagit Valley Herald.
Construction should start early 2022 with the land portion finishing up in April and the marine portion in August, according to Public Works Director Don Measamer, reported The Skagit Valley Herald.
