Updated Lynnwood long-term water plan will require $53 million in repairs over the next decade

Washington State requires water utilities to update their 20 year long-term plans every 10 years. The Lynnwood City Council received an update on the nearly $53 million in repairs that Lynnwood Water’s infrastructure will need throughout the length of the new plan.

Public Works director Jared Bond – along with Wastewater Treatment Plant manager Ehsan Shirkhani and project manager Debra Tseng – advised the council members that replacing aging steel pipes and mains is their main priority. The total of the work that’s currently needed to be upgraded to help reduce the number of leaks that are sprung and other reliability issues with the older infrastructure.

Overall, the long-term plan identifies $449 million in repairs and upgrades that the system could use over the next 20 years. But the $53 million is the most urgent repairs that are absolutely needed, while the $449 million is a complete wish list of projects the utility would like.

Council vice president Derica Escamilla asked the about the financial health of the water utility. These projects are paid for from an Enterprise Fund that receives money from the bills its customers pay, not the general fund. The utility is currently planning to pay for the most urgent repairs with new connection fees, its reserve funds, and debt financing.

Another question about the financial plan for these improvements was asked by council president Nick Coelho. He wanted to know why the utility didn’t front load rate increases to get more of the work done within the next few years since inflation means that the cheapest time to do construction is right now. Bond advised the council that the utility is sensitive to the financial pressures on the customers and they don’t want to make it too expensive right now; the focus is on triaging projects and purchasing water – Everett and Alderwood Water are still in arbitration over the rate increase, which will impact the utilities on hand.

To highlight the work that’s already been completed, Bond discussed that PRV 1 (pressure regulating valve) was rebuilt last year and the city just finished work on the restoration of the two water tanks on 40th Avenue. These projects are part of a phased approach to ensure that the current generation isn’t stuck with the entire cost of work that future generations are going to benefit from.

Bond also talked about how the long-term plan has to remain flexible to the changing realities so that projects can be reprioritized to reduce cost. One example was provided how the utility is currently taking advantage of the Poplar Way Bridge construction to replace and upgrade the old mains underneath the section of Poplar that’s been torn up. Lynnwood Water also worked with Sound Transit to upgrade its facilities during the construction of the light rail station.

These upgrades are not just about replacing steel pipes, they’re also about future proofing the city’s water infrastructure for its projected growth and increase in density. The utility developed its updated long-term plan after it reviewed the population growth projections.

To ensure that it’s personal keep an accurate picture of water demands as new, denser, construction projects are permitted, developers are required to submit their plans for review.

At the end of the briefing, mayor George Hurst inquired about Bond’s confidence in the water utility’s cyber security in the aftermath of the hacks and attacks we’ve seen at other utilities across the United States. Bond stated that a lot of the hacks are tied to the fact that other utilities are on the cloud, and Lynnwood’s is not. Because of the fact that Lynnwood doesn’t rely on the cloud – and the utility’s high level of protection and fire wall structuring – the director was confident in the cyber security around the city’s water supply.

Spokane fires

The City of Spokane has made the decision to utilize its H.O.M.E Starts Here Fund to assist victims of the wildfires that have torched the city. This fund will assist with short- & long-term rent, diapers, baby formula, back to school supplies, basic house ware needs, furniture and other household needs as families try to rebuild their lives. As the city and its residents are working through the recovery process, the city will forgo it’s typical administrative fee so that 100% of each donation will go to those in need.

If you want to donate to this fund, click here.

More news from the Lynnwood City Council August 3rd, 2026 meeting