UPDATE: Brown water in north West Seattle

| Utilities | West Seattle news

7:30 PM: Another round of brown-water reports tonight – we’ve heard from people in several areas we would generally describe as north West Seattle. The first thing we’ve advised, as always: Call Seattle Public Utilities‘ hotline at 206-386-1800. We have also contacted SPU’s communication team, and will update with whatever they find out is going on. (Also note: This is the SPU webpage with general advice about what to do if your water is discolored.)

(Added: Photo sent by Michelle)

8:24 PM: We’ve just talked with Andy Ryan from SPU. He says an SPU crew was using a hydrant in the 3200 block of Belvidere and that’s what stirred up the sediment in the lines. A water-quality inspector is following up on the reports the SPU hotline has received, but Ryan stresses that the water is safe to drink/use – but let it run as advised in the link we featured above.

P.S. Later this week, we’ll be publishing a report taking a closer look at how SPU monitors and tests drinking water, after a visit to its lab in SODO.

ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: SPU tells us today they had about a dozen calls last night and half a dozen this morning. (If you have NOT called and are seeing discolored water, please call them!) SPU’s Ryan says the crew that used the hydrant did not let the water run as long as they should have – until it’s clear – and so, “We will be doing more training to ensure our crews understand their responsibilities in this regard.”

Ken March 14, 2016 (7:58 pm)

Thank you for posting so we know that we’re not alone. We live in Admiral/Belvidere district and have noticed brown water since about 4:30 – 5:00 PM. We have called SPU and spoken to the operator but no response yet from the water quality person. We will keep checking the Blog as you might get an answer before we do. Thanks again.

Liana March 14, 2016 (8:36 pm)

I echo Ken’s thanks. Wish the city had a better process for letting us know if an issue has already been called in – seems silly for all of us to call about the same water line – wouldn’t have had details without your Blog post. Thanks!

WSB March 14, 2016 (8:44 pm)

Someday, they probably will … but really, don’t hesitate for a moment to call. When I talk with their reps, they stress this over and over and over again. At the very least, it helps them understand too, if they hear from addresses a, b, c, d, e, etc. and learn that they were all affected by situation X at location Y. – TR

MM March 14, 2016 (8:46 pm)

This is now the THIRD time in the last 4 months. HOW INCOMPETENT ARE THESE CITY WORKERS AND THE MAYOR?!

Do you really think we are going to accept this absolute BS ?

Tell
Andy Ryan to come down to Belvidere and we’ll give him 5 gallons of
this absolute hazardous smut to drink. The nerve of him. This is not
just a light brown – this looks like brown oil.

We are flushing and running the water for hours and it is still filthy.

So
my questions, is “How long is this going to continue? Is this a
monthly routine? Do you expect the Belvidere and Admiral districts to
just accept this?

We
are paying big time taxes here. Tell Andy Ryan and the Mayor this is
doing major damage to our appliances, water tanks and costing us
hundreds of dollars to run our faucets and toilets to clear this
hazardous smut.

One
time I can see an error but now 3 times?!?!?! Both the MAYOR AND MR.
RYAN need to resign IMMEDIATELY. This would never be accepted in the
PRIVATE SECTOR

THIS IS NOT BANGLADESH or FLINT MICHIGAN.

This
is ABSOLUTE BS !!! WE NEED TO BE COMPENSATED IMMEDIATELY…..as well a
formal apology. This is incredible in this day and age…

WSB March 14, 2016 (9:03 pm)

Hi there. Have you had to make repairs to your appliances/system? I’m certain that the city would want to hear about that if you haven’t contacted SPU already. Their customer-service bureau, which reopens at 7:30 am, is 206-684-3000.

The head of SPU is Ray Hoffman; Andy Ryan is our main media contact and that’s why I quote him – we’ve been working with him for as long as we’ve been running WSB, dating back to issues such as solid-waste-collection delays during the 2008 snowstorms.

Also, if you want to escalate, our area’s new City Councilmember Lisa Herbold chairs a committee which includes oversight of Seattle Public Utilities. You can contact her directly at lisa.herbold@seattle.gov – as District 1’s councilmember, you could actually contact her about any city issue, not just the ones her committee oversees. – TR

JKB March 14, 2016 (9:14 pm)

Oh f—. Water was fine a couple hours ago, filthy now.

JKB March 14, 2016 (9:34 pm)

Ah, the editorial bowdlerization of my short Saxon word.

So I called the utilities people and they assured me the whoever-it-is will call me back. Any takers on the over-under line of when that will be?

JKB March 14, 2016 (10:02 pm)

Okay, just 30 mins. Last time it was 3 hours, better this time. Doesn’t improve my water – they say it’ll be all fine in the morning.

Also, apparently not Saxon. Webster says Dutch or Swedish, from around 1500 AD. If my water is clear tomorrow, I won’t have to look up ‘cranky’

Joe March 14, 2016 (10:24 pm)

I have been promised a call back from the “water quality person” in the past but never got a call. Has this happened to anyone else?

JanS March 15, 2016 (1:02 am)

did anyone read the explanation? When you have to use a hydrant, it stirs up sediment. This has happened as long as I have been a customer….and I’ve been here 41 years. It has nothing to do with incompetency….and no one needs to be fired immediately. But the editor has given areas of recourse and complaining if it’s costing you repairs and money. Comparing to Flint, MI? Bangladesh? Seriously? Do you and your children have lead poisoning? Dysentery? It’s maybe 3 hours…I’m sure you’ll recover with not a worry. Good drama there, though .

Rico March 15, 2016 (6:36 am)

The situation is indeed incompetent.

Most water systems have flushing outlets installed in the systems that are regularly used to prevent the build-up of sediment in the first place.

But SPU has never felt obligated to actually operate professionally. Related, but do you remember the Arbor Heights fire hydrant deficiencies. It is a result of not upgrading and maintaining a water system in a professional, competent manner. BY the way SPU has never fixed the deficient hydrants. They fixed a few ones and expect the fire department to carry more hose to reach the hydrant than they did in the past.

WSB March 15, 2016 (6:54 am)

Fire hydrants -and- water mains were replaced in AH. We covered that extensively.

MEH March 15, 2016 (7:26 am)

We were assured last night that our water would be clear by this morning. Not the case! We still have brown water and our toilets have a brown oily film coating them. We hope by the time we get home from work our water will be clear and we can deal with the clean up.

sam-c March 15, 2016 (8:02 am)

SPU should at least offer some sort of refund to those who have suffered through this multiple times within a couple months. I mean, they tell you, keep running the water until it runs clear. How wasteful is that? Suddenly, you’ve used MUCH MORE water than you usually do, just hoping you can find some clear water to boil for dinner, bathe your kids, or wash the clothes you need for school/ work….

Sorry this keeps happening to you guys!

John March 15, 2016 (8:07 am)

Thanks to WSB Editor for moderating and fact checking as in checking people who make false statements and ignorant accusations.

Dr. Bob March 15, 2016 (8:07 am)

And yet y’all keep voting in the same geniuses….

Hilarious!

unknown March 15, 2016 (8:48 am)

They say this brown water is the results of running a hydrant….well the YUK is obviously in the pipes and because they use a hydrant it stirs it up in bigger quantities…wonder what gets thru in not so obvious results everyday? Children and elderly drinking and using this water can’t be too good for them you think?

Let alone all the water you use to flush it out of your pipes…who’s going to pay for the extra water usage on your bill?

DRS March 15, 2016 (9:16 am)

I called last night and was told about the hydrant issue and was told it would be resolved this AM. I was also told to run the cold water for a little bit if it was still brown. I filled the tub up 5 times this AM and it is still gross brown.

I called the city again this AM and they asked that everyone who is having this problem should call it.

I hope it is better tonight.

quiz March 15, 2016 (9:30 am)

More importantly, Cubs fan discovered in north West Seattle.

dsa March 15, 2016 (9:42 am)

The city used to have a program where they regularly, like yearly flushed all the hydrants. It’s been over twenty years. They may have started it again on a different schedule because they did come and flush the one near my house several months ago. The water had to run a long time, maybe a half hour before the tech decided it cleared. I don’t remember run times that long in the past. But we experienced none of that rusty colored water that people are reporting as a result. So maybe the city just needs to get busy and clear all the lines at the hydrants. There is no shortage of water.

blbl March 15, 2016 (10:28 am)

There are fixes for this, and there is no reason we should have to put up with brown water ever, even temporarily. And it happens often. Unacceptable.

wetone March 15, 2016 (11:15 am)

I really think there is more to the story than what SPU is saying. Are water line hook ups going on in same time frame as areas affected ? It could be possible the contaminates are coming from the installation of new water supply to new builds in area. Anytime system is opened up or if back flow valves aren’t set up right there would be some oily residue and contaminates introduced to system. It’s an old system as most the infrastructure is and all the new building is not helping. I’m sure our rates will going up significantly to update everything after all the building in area is done ; )

Justin March 15, 2016 (12:09 pm)

Agree with BLBL, this is pretty disturbing. Customers shouldn’t see this kind of thing coming out of our taps, much less on a regular basis. We pay some of the highest water rates in the country (ironic in our wet city) and supposedly have an excellent infrastructure. So what gives, SPU?

DRS March 15, 2016 (1:05 pm)

I heard back from the city just a little bit ago. He confirmed there was still a problem and “You at Belvidere have been hit hard. Therefore I am instructing them to get water from another hydrant in another neighbor hood.”

He also said I should not run water to clear it. Contrary to what I was told last night. He said let it set, check it about 5PM and should be fine by then.

He said it is rust in the water.

wetone March 15, 2016 (1:38 pm)

Howard March 15, 2016 (2:27 pm)

Go Cubbies!

Also, grab a brown water sample and send it to a LAB!

Bath Time March 15, 2016 (3:01 pm)

Yellowish brown water in Seaview. Just drew my afternoon bath and was bummed to have to skip it…

WSB March 15, 2016 (3:04 pm)

That would be an entirely different area – please let SPU know if you haven’t already – 206-386-1800…

Bath Time March 15, 2016 (3:09 pm)

Just called and spoke to someone who is going to have someone else call me back…

Joe March 15, 2016 (6:43 pm)

Been waiting for my call back since 3/4 :)

Bath Time March 15, 2016 (8:23 pm)

They called me back within 20 minutes and told me that although the water looked gross, it was in fact safe, but advised not to drink it. The gentleman said that it should be back to normal tomorrow or soon after and was a result of hydrant work. My neighborhood was affected because it is downhill from the work area. Strange, but it makes sense, I guess…

Sorry, comment time is over.