The city of Mercer Island is an immense part of the critical North Mercer-Enatai Sewer Upgrade Project, which features large-scale upgrades being made to the regional wastewater system.
According to a King County Wastewater Treatment Division press release, it is replacing aging pipes along the bottom of Lake Washington that connect Mercer Island to Bellevue to provide reliable sewer service for 50-plus years. In addition, they are utilizing the safest methods to protect fish and aquatic wildlife.
Kamuron Gurol, director of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, noted in the release: “As we build our wastewater infrastructure projects, we seek to protect the environment and look for ways to restore sensitive habitats so that we can leave the area better than when we started.”
The $179 million project is estimated to be completed in 2026.
To connect the service between the two cities, about 2,000 feet of sewer pipe is being installed along the bottom of the lake, according to a Mercer Island press release. Specialized divers working in water up to 40 feet deep are installing the pipe, which is part of four miles of pipe being replaced across the Island, underneath the lake and through the Enatai hillside.
“The new pipe will connect to a pump station near the Mercer Slough in south Bellevue that brings wastewater to the county’s South Treatment Plant in Renton,” reads the project description. “The popular I-90 Trail will be improved to meet multi-use trail needs, including the Americans with Disabilities Act standards.”
BOILER BUILDING CONSTRUCTION BID
At its Jan. 2 regular meeting, the Mercer Island City Council unanimously approved the Luther Burbank Boiler Building Phase LBB1 Bid Award on its consent agenda.
The bid was awarded to Ferguson Construction and council authorized City Manager Jessi Bon to execute the contract in an amount not to exceed $1,891,377 for the construction of the Boiler Building and set the total project budget at $2,521,566, according to the agenda bill information document.
Out of the four construction bids the city received for work on the 1928 Boiler Building, Ferguson’s was the lowest responsive bid at $1,891,377 and the highest bid rolled in at $2,421,828.96 by CDK Construction.
The document notes that work will include seismic retrofits and a new roof for the Boiler Building, plus renovations of the restrooms and concession stand. The top 10 feet of the brick chimney will be removed, and the remaining portion reinforced.
Staff anticipates construction to begin in the first quarter of 2024.
Luther Burbank Boiler Building overview rendering. Courtesy of the city of Mercer Island
