City Manager Jessi Bon said the Mercer Island community has been rowing in the boat with the city during its latest round of water supply issues.

As city officials encourage residents and businesses to continue voluntarily conserving water, the days are getting nearer for the Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) mainline pipe repair to be completed.

Bon offered loud-and-clear appreciation to Islanders and SPU workers for their efforts in the water-conservation and repair realms.

According to the city on July 24, SPU’s crews are engaged in the job’s final stages of filling, flushing (to ensure water quality and safety) and disinfecting the water supply pipe to the Island before they can complete final testing.

The city said the job remains on track to make the line operational again — and resume the adequate incoming water flowage to meet the Island’s normal demand — by the close of July or early August. Bon said the city should learn where everything stands during the week beginning July 29.

“City and SPU crews coordinate to ensure water flushing events are conducted only when necessary during this period of water conservation. The water used to flush the repaired SPU water supply line comes directly from SPU and does not impact the water levels in the city’s reservoirs,” said the city, adding that Islanders’ water-conservation efforts have majorly helped the Island’s two reservoir tanks maintain adequate levels.

As stated in a previous Reporter article, Bon declared a local state of emergency on May 1 regarding the water issue. From April 3 henceforth, the Island has been receiving water through the 16-inch backup line as the 24-inch mainline is being mended following leakage that the city was apprised of on that day near 95th Court Southeast.

Earlier in July, SPU repair crews successfully installed 1,300 feet of flexible liner into the mainline, completed quality and readiness testing and connected the lined section to the existing pipe on each end, according to the city.

“This has been four months of water conservation and we could not have done it without the community working together,” Bon said.

Bon described that time frame as being intense and incredibly busy from the city’s standpoint.

“Obviously (we’re) very mindful that we needed to do everything we could collaboratively and cooperatively with Seattle Public Utilities to get that pipeline back in service,” said Bon, adding that making the city’s water system more resilient remains a high priority.

This fall, city council and staff will discuss eyeing a potential new pipeline, Bon said.

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