EVERETT, JULY 23: Today Everett Water Utility began to replace its 101-year-old water reservoir that serves two-thirds of the Utility’s customers.
In Phase 1 Everett Water Utility will construct a new 8 million-gallon (MG) reservoir adjacent to the old one, which is expected to be completed around the end of 2025. The new 8 MG reservoir has a diameter of 220 feet and rises approximately 21 feet above the ground.
Everett’s 2020 Comprehensive Water Plan conducted a study on Reservoir 3 and found it would likely fail during a large earthquake and regular maintenance wouldn’t protect the reservoir. Senior Engineer Randy Loveless said that it would cost more than it was worth to fix it rather than replace it.
The north and south wall concrete support beams of the reservoir are falling apart, according to Loveless.
“We have extended its life to the limit with emergency repairs,” Public Works Director Ryan Sass said. They plan on a “forever infrastructure” in hopes the new reservoirs will last another 100 years.
Reservoir 3 provides drinking water to the City of Everett customers south of 41 St, Alderwood, Silver Lake and Mukilteo water districts. The reservoir serves about 457,000 people.
During Phase 2, the Everett Water Utility will demolish Reservoir 3, which holds 20 MG, and replace it with a 12 MG cylinder reservoir. The new reservoirs will be located at the current site, 6107 Berkshire Drive, Everett.
The water from Reservoir 3 travels 25 miles from Sultan after it goes through a water filtration process, according to Loveless.
“Replacing Reservoir 3 with two seismically resilient reservoirs is critical to providing people who live in Snohomish County with safe and reliable drinking water and fire flow for public safety, now and into the future,” Operations Superintendent Jeff Marrs said.
With the two-reservoir design, Everett Water Utility is able to deliver water even if one of them is out of service, Marrs said.
This project is expected to cost $80 million. The funds come from water utility bills paid by the city of Everett’s direct customers (20%) and Everett’s wholesale customers (80%). The cost is financed by long-term bonds that are paid over 25 years.
Mayor Cassie Franklin said that Everett doesn’t have to wonder if they have clean and safe water thanks to the work of the city of Everett team.
Everett Water Utility finished replacing its 110-year-old Reservoir 2 in 2023, the primary water storage facility for most of the City of Everett north of 45th St, according to the City of Everett.
Everett Utility wholesale customers include Snohomish County Public Utilities Department (PUD), Alderwood Water & Wastewater District, Marysville City and more.
Correction: Phase 1 was previously noted to be completed by the end of this year. That is incorrect, it will be completed at the end of next year, 2025.
