Hello Burton Water Co-op Community,
Welcome to the fall edition of The Drip! Since our last newsletter, our infrastructure project has gone from plans on paper to pipe in the ground. Most of this issue is about that work: where crews have been, where they’re headed next, and what it means for your water, your roads, and your bill. We’ve also got a few other Co-op updates and some reminders as the rainy season settles in.
USDA Construction Update
Where We Are
Our contractor, Pape and Sons, arrived the week of August 17 and has been laying new water main at an average of about 160 feet per day. Crews started near the corner of 115th and 238th, worked East to 104th and then down 104th and on to Burton Drive, ending the 8” main installation at 97th. Pressure testing, sanitizing, and bacteria testing of the 8” main is happening now. The first of two Vashon Highway crossings is already complete, and the road was patched the same day. Because crews used half-closures, a full closure of the highway was never needed. As of the end of October, trenching is running ahead of schedule, with only a day and a half lost to rain.
The first new hydrant, installed along Burton Drive
A Few Detours Along the Way
Digging up roads always turns up surprises, and this project has had its share:
Gas main reroute. To keep a safe distance from PSE’s high-pressure gas main near 107th and 232nd, the new line now crosses 107th once and follows its east side, then runs along the unpaved south shoulder of 228th. The change removed a road crossing and added no cost. All properties remain within 600 feet of a fire hydrant.
Surprise service connections. Two service connections on 115th didn’t appear on the plans. Our own staff will connect them.
Repairs. Working next to an older pipe can damage it. Staff have repaired several service lines and mains that were affected during construction, including a two-inch line near the Burton store, and replaced a long-stuck valve, which restored pressure to seven homes. Thank you for your patience, especially when one of these repairs caused a short service interruption.
Roads and Patching
King County requires a full repaving overlay wherever a traffic lane is cut. The temporary cold-mix patches at 115th and 238th, 107th and 238th, 97th and Burton Dr., and 104th and Burton Dr. will be replaced with hot mix, and the asphalt and concrete driveways that had to be cut will be restored by the contractor. We appreciate everyone’s patience with the bumps in the meantime.
Initial Sections on Budget
As we shared in July, Sections A and B are fully covered by our existing USDA financing. That hasn’t changed: there is no new borrowing, we are staying on the low end of estimated paving costs, and are hopeful we can get at least Section C done within our USDA loan amount. The few changes to the contract so far have been small, and a healthy contingency remains, which the Board intends to protect. Funding needs for the remaining sections, as well as additional infrastructure work, are being assessed.
What’s Next
As the heavy rains arrive, wet soil can’t be reused to backfill trenches, so digging will slow and crews will focus on moving individual services over to the new line. We have finished main line installation on Section A, and will begin transferring services as soon as testing shows sanitary water. Trenching work for the new main in Section B will wait for a weather window, hoping to get at least some pipe in the ground this winter.
Staying in the Loop
Weekly updates, with progress photos and the coming week’s work areas, are posted to burtonwater.org every Friday. https://burtonwater.org/category/capital-improvement-updates/
Planned water shutoffs come with 24 hours’ notice by email. Please make sure we have a current email address for whoever in your household should receive these notices.
Flaggers are on site wherever crews work. Please slow down and follow their directions.
For an emergency, call our on-call staff at (206) 775-5667. For anything else, email [email protected] or call the office at (206) 463-0005.
Other Co-op News
October Bill Mix-Up
Some October email bills incorrectly showed a past-due balance. Your bill wasn’t due until November 1, and nothing was late. We’re sorry for the confusion, and thank you to everyone who wrote in.
Chlorination System Upgrade
Our Co-op-funded chlorination upgrade has taken a back seat while staff focus on construction. The new roof is on, most parts are in hand, and the building will be closed-in before winter. We expect the new system to come online around the turn of the year.
Wellfield-to-115th Line
Replacing the aging steel line between the wellfield and 115th requires King County floodplain and grading permits, and the County has asked for more information.
Vashon Highways Drainage Project
In August 2025 we told you about King County’s planned stormwater project along Vashon Highway, which would require the Co-op to relocate part of its water main. This was not forecast in our budget, and we’re meeting with the County to look for a solution that doesn’t place substantial costs on our members.
Lead Service Line Order Closed
EPA has formally terminated its administrative order on our lead service line inventory. No action is needed from members.
Come to a Board Meeting
Board meetings are open to members on Zoom, generally the second and fourth Mondays of the month from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Email [email protected] for the link.
Looking Ahead
As we forge ahead with construction, you can continue to find weekly updates posted on Fridays on the website.
As always, please reach out to us at [email protected] with any comments or questions.
Friends and neighbors who’d like to receive The Drip can sign up at news.burtonwater.org/subscribe.
