King County responds to Bothell wastewater overflow

King County's sewer utility crews responded quickly late this morning to a wastewater overflow near the North Creek Pump Station in Bothell.

The overflow occurred as crews were preparing to transfer flows from the north portion of King County’s service area from South Plant in Renton to West Point in Seattle when they discovered an open drain valve.

It’s estimated that up to 20,000 gallons of wastewater leaked into a nearby wetland that drains into the Sammamish Slough. King County Environmental Laboratory staff took water samples, posted the affected area as closed and notified public health and regulatory agencies about the overflow.

People enjoy clean water and a healthy environment because of King County's wastewater treatment program. The county's Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and water quality by serving 17 cities, 17 local sewer utilities and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional clean-water agency now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for more than 40 years.