FOLLOWUP: No all-clear yet for beaches south of Alki Point

| Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Cormorant Cove Park, last week)

No all-clear yet, more than a week after a private sewer line was discovered to be leaking into Puget Sound from condos south of Alki Point. That’s according to Sabrina Register of Seattle Public Utilities, which is monitoring the situation. We asked her about the action, if any, to be taken against the responsible party. Her reply:

Seattle Public Utilities notifies property owners when their privately owned wastewater lines are broken or malfunctioning, as property owners are responsible for maintaining their lines. Broken or malfunctioning lines can sometimes discharge sewage into water bodies. Staff consult with them on corrective action that needs to be taken to prevent further discharges.

The property owner associated with the sewer discharge on Beach Drive has been issued notice of violations for sewer discharge into Puget Sound, including in 2021.

SPU is planning to issue a notice of violation for this most recent discharge after determining cost recovery needs.

We’ll be following up again next week.

BeachDriveCommunity July 15, 2022 (5:42 pm)

Thank you so much for staying on top of this! We live across the street from Harbor West and it really pisses me off that they continue to discharge raw sewage, spoiling our waters and beaches. They are ruining our ability to enjoy our beautiful neighborhood. SPU should come down hard on them.

Flivver July 15, 2022 (6:51 pm)

Are there no issues with getting workers to fix??? Are there no issues with getting parts??? Are there no issues with getting permits from the city to fix??? Do you have evidence they’re discharging on purpose??? I’m NOT minimizing the issue but am amused by the vilifying of those “evil rich condo owners”. I can, and will GUARENTEE that if this happened to any of the commenters here vilifying the residents they wouldn’t want themselves called out as “evil”. Would they?
Mrs. Myrtle July 15, 2022 (7:56 pm)

While not good, I certainly don’t think it was malicious or intentional. I’m more worried about the environment destruction created by the city’s tolerance of RVs and their corresponding waste.
- Jethro Marx July 15, 2022 (11:45 pm)
  
  It need not be malicious, but it sometimes happens that it’s cheaper to pay an occasional fine than to fix the root of the problem. In that case, repeated releases should result in a court order to fix it. The fact that you somehow think the overall volume of RV effluent is of greater concern than all the 80-year-old buildings with shoddy plumbing is mind-blowing.
  - Steve July 16, 2022 (9:37 am)
    
    Most pollution enters Puget Sound through run off from storm drains. I have no idea how many RVs there are in Seattle but they do contribute to the pollution. Most side sewers are not leaking into the Sound. Harbor West has a sewer line that hangs under the building that can be broken by wave action, building shifting, etc. But also part of their sewer line is buried where it comes onto the shore and then joins the main sewer under the street. This can also break. I don’t know where the present break is but if it is under the street it is not something that can repaired instantly.
- WS Res July 16, 2022 (10:16 am)
  
  Well, being more upset at unhoused people without anywhere to PUT their waste than you are at property owners who cause issues through their own maintenance failures is certainly… a take one could have.
  - CrankyPants July 17, 2022 (2:20 pm)
    
    No, unhoused people do not have the right to pollute our environment and dirty our streets just because they’re unhoused.
John July 15, 2022 (9:23 pm)

You should not be upset with only Harbor West. A quick Google search of how polluted the Puget Sound is we’ll bring up an article from nearly 10 years ago showing you how many thousands of pounds of chemicals go into the Puget Sound on a daily basis.

James M July 15, 2022 (6:24 pm)

this is one reason why, Puget Sound is a toxic mess.

HD July 15, 2022 (8:10 pm)

Yes, thanks WSB for your diligence; we can’t lose track of this. Finally summer, yet we can’t enjoy the best that West Seattle offers, i.e. the Sound in the Summer. How can this condition continue unaddressed in the state renown for its focus on ‘Climate Change’/environmental sensitivity? We need accountability at all levels, especially enforcement. Please stay with this saga. HD

LGO July 16, 2022 (3:59 pm)

Lot of crabs out there not getting caught right now! Let’s go!We have all waited for summer to arrive and this sewage leak is really putting a damper on that.