UPDATE: West Seattle power outage hits 4,700+ customers
2:04 AM: Thanks for the tip. Big power outage in West Seattle – more than 4,700 customers. No word yet on the cause.
2:18 AM: The SCL map, which says the outage started a few minutes before 2 am, calls its cause “environmental.”
2:23 AM: Some commenters say their power’s already back. The SCL map says they’re among 2,000 restored; it’s still out for 2,700 customers.
2:29 AM: Now the map has changed the cause to “tree/vegetation.” Adding a screenshot of the area still out.
2:48 AM: A “brush fire” to which SFD responded at 42nd/Dawson an hour before the outage started is now looking like the likely cause, as suggested by this report and photo received from Amanda:
There was a large tree that caught on fire on 42nd Ave SW / Dawson at around 12:50 AM. My baby woke up first and then we all jumped out of bed since our entire house smelled like a fire. My husband thankfully went outside to check and that’s when he then saw the tree on fire and called it in. Tree was in the power lines so it may be why there is an outage now.
4:34 AM: Not resolved yet.
5:50 AM: Resolved since our last check.
4:54 PM: SCL’s Jenn Strang confirms to WSB that the outage had its roots in the aforementioned tree situation:
Yes, there was a fire at that location reported about an hour before the outage. City Light was called in to assist. Upon finding a wire down with a tree involved, crews requested that the area be deenergized for safe access.
Water outage at Alki UCC
Larisa from Alki UCC asked us to let you know:
I just got word that our building’s water had to be shut-off, affecting toilet usage during today’s 10 am service, which will still take place.
We ask folks to kindly plan accordingly and apologize for the inconvenience!
Brown water in West Seattle
Sent by Lara this afternoon: “We’re getting brown water at 42nd Ave SW and Charlestown. It might be a result of the construction across the street, hard to tell. We’ve had SPU trucks on the block for the last few weeks as well.” Most common reason: Hydrant testing. If brown water happens in your home/business, be sure to report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800, and let us know too!
UPDATE: Xfinity/Comcast outage in north West Seattle
1:46 PM: When multiple readers mention a cable/internet outage, it’s usually fairly big, so we’re making note of this one: Readers in north West Seattle say their Xfinity/Comcast service is out, and that the map (which we can’t see because our area’s not affected) says more than 500 customers are affected, with restoration expected by mid-afternoon.
3:17 PM: The reader who was first to tell us about the outage says it’s resolved. Let us know if you’re still out.
3:55 PM: We have an email report of the outage persisting in at least part of Alki.
UPDATE: West Seattle Junction power outage that affected some businesses as well as residents
11:21 AM: Seattle City Light is on the scene of a power outage affecting nearly 400 customers in The Junction – thanks to the reader who sent that photo along with one of several tips we just received about the outage.
According to the SCL map, this started a few hours ago. It’s affecting some businesses as well as residents; we just heard from Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW), which says they’re out of power. We’re heading to The Junction to see who else is out.
11:39 AM: Before we even could get there, the power returned, reports Sharonn, who saw it happen while on the phone with us providing an update on who was affected.
11:49 AM: The SCL map hasn’t updated yet, so we’re not sure if that was a full or partial restoration.
12:10 PM: Map shows everyone’s back on.
UPDATE: Power outage in Arbor Heights/Seola Beach
9:56 PM: Someone called 911 a short time ago to say they heard an explosion, and then the power went out, in the Arbor Heights/Seola Beach area. The Seattle City Light outage map shows 26 homes out so far.
9:58 PM: Dispatch just told officers another caller reports the problem is a tree limb that’s fallen into wires.
12:09 AM: Not resolved yet. According to the SPD map, the tree trouble happened in the 10700 block of Seola Beach Drive.
9:16 AM: Resolved overnight.
If you get brown water in the Alki area (or elsewhere … updated)
ORIGINAL 11:33 AM REPORT RE: ALKI … one of your neighbors wants you to know that it’s likely the result of hydrant testing, as SFD was just seen testing one at 57th/Admiral. Hydrant testing is a common cause of discolored water, because it stirs up “sediment” – aka rust – in the lines, but not always, so if brown water happens at your home/business/school, without an obvious explanation like confirmed testing (or a water break) nearby, report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
ADDED 1:34 PM: Elsewhere, we have this report from Mike southwest of The Junction: “About an hour and a half ago we started getting brown water out of our tap here.” And Chemist, in a comment, reports seeing hydrant testing in Seaview.
North Delridge gas leak, handled quickly
Seattle Fire sent a mid-size response, and Seattle Police sent street-closing assistance, but a gas leak in the 4500 block of 26th SW has been handled quickly; SFD reported being able to shut it down within moments of their arrival. They’re checking now for gas levels or other impacts inside at least one nearby house.
UTILITY WORK ALERT: SPU plans ‘smoke testing’ in some West Seattle sewers
Seattle Public Utilities is about to start a round of testing in the Arbor Heights area that might look startling. Here’s the notice sent to us to share with the wider community:
SEWER INSPECTIONS WITH NON-TOXIC SMOKE
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Seattle Public Utilities is using a testing method called “smoke testing†to find sewer leaks and/or pipe connection problems. A contractor, Pro-Vac, will be in your neighborhood blowing a colorless water vapor or “smoke†into sewer pipes via maintenance holes; the “smoke†is non-toxic and non-staining but may have a distinctive odor. “Smoke†or its odor is not anticipated to come into your house or building if your plumbing is in good working order and your “p-traps†(the U-shaped pipes under each drain) are filled with water.
SCHEDULE
This work is scheduled for late July through end of August. You will receive a door hanger notice 24- to 48-hours before the inspection. Prior to the testing, consider running water for 30 seconds in all your sinks, baths, and showers and pouring water in exposed floor drains.
LOCATION
The testing uses maintenance holes within the public right-of-way throughout the Arbor Heights Neighborhood. The “smoke†may travel up to 1,500 feet within the sewer pipe.
IMPACTS
Homes and businesses will continue to receive normal sewer services during the inspection.
 You may see or smell the “smoke†coming from maintenance holes in the street or right-of-way, sewer vents from roofs or coming out of the ground. This is normal and you do not need to do anything. You may talk with the on-site workers conducting the inspections if you have questions.
 If you see or smell “smoke†in your house or building, open doors or windows to increase ventilation. The
vapor should clear within a few minutes.
ï‚· If smoke continues to remain in your building for more than 5 minutes, talk with the field representatives or
on-site workers conducting the inspections. You may also contact SPU’s emergency Operations Response
Center (ORC) at (206) 386-1800.
“Smoke†may have entered your building due to issues with your building’s sewer pipe vents and/or p-traps under sinks, tubs or other drains. If “smoke†came into your building that did not stop when you put water in a drain, please consider contacting a plumber to investigate possible issues with your plumbing.
Here’s the notice in PDF.
Brown water in south Highland Park
We’re getting reports of brown water in south Highland Park this morning. While that’s often a sign of hydrant testing this time of year,i it’s also sometimes a sign of trouble somewhere in the lines, so whenever it happens, be sure to report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
UPDATE: Bird blamed, again, for power outage on east side of The Junction
8:55 PM: Thanks for the tip. Within this past hour, 261 homes/businesses lost power on the east side of The Junction, and our tipster says, “Power is out in the same exact area as three days ago. Same cause: A crow flew into a transformer.” The City Light map indeed says “bird/animal” as the cause. Earlier in the day, 13 homes in The Arroyos were out for hours, but vegetation was blamed for that.
10:41 PM: SCL map says they’re still out.
SUNDAY MORNING: Restored overnight.
UPDATE: 2+-hour CenturyLink outage in West Seattle and beyond; company blames ‘network routing issue’
3:50 PM: When we hear from readers about cable/internet outages, it’s usually very localized … but this one seems to be an exception. About half an hour ago, our CenturyLink service suddenly went out in Upper Fauntleroy. We had someone working outside so we thought maybe they’d pulled a cable. Then we started hearing from readers – mostly in Gatewood, but most recently a text from someone at California/Dakota. Anyone else? We are going to try reaching the CL media team but the holiday might make that a challenge.
4:01 PM: Posts on X (ex-Twitter) suggest this goes beyond Seattle. The official @CenturyLink account has someone replying to reports, only saying they’re looking into a “possible disruption.” But the CL website itself is down too (we got a 503 error, as did someone in a comment below). In addition to comments, we’re getting texts from all around West Seattle. Some mention Quantum is down too.
4:20 PM: On X, CL has yet to make a statement acknowledging the far-and-wide outage, and its website continues to serve an error message. … Commenters are trying a workaround that’s been circulating on social media; we have no way to verify (we’re using Comcast/Xfinity right now, lots of redundancy for business purposes).
5:17 PM: Some commenters mentioned their service just returned; ours appears to, as well, after a little more than two hours out. Still no official comment from CenturyLink/Lumen, however.
5:42 PM: And we’ve received the company statement:
We are currently addressing a network routing issue that caused a temporary service disruption for some customers. Our teams have identified the root cause and are actively working to restore full service as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we resolve this matter.
6 PM: Company spokesperson Matt Villarreal just sent an updated statement saying everyone should be back on: “… All services have since been fully restored. We understand how important it is to stay connected and sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this time.”
UPDATE: Another West Seattle power outage
7:22 PM: Thanks for the tip. For the third consecutive day, there’s a power outage of note in West Seattle. This time, more than 300 customers are out east of California, between Edmunds and Genesee. No “wires down” SFD dispatch this time, so we’re not sure about its origin – the texter who tipped us said they heard a “boom” near Oregon/40th.
7:33 PM: Commenter Deborah says this was a case of bird vs. wire.
8:07 PM: Some have their power back already, and SCL shows the outage is down to 261 customers.
10:48 PM: Everybody’s back on since our last check.
Graduation, unplugged! Power outage changes Louisa Boren STEM K-8’s ceremony
In a comment during our power-outage coverage, someone wondered if the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 graduation ceremony would be affected. Turns out it was – but everybody adapted adeptly, says Amy, who sent the photo and report:
Just wanted to give a shout out to Boren STEM K-8 8th graders who had their 8th grade graduation this evening at the school with no power. They had to pivot with only an hour before the ceremony when the lights went out. They moved the event to the lunch room since it has windows and natural light, moved as many decorations as they could, and they had no mics or amplified music or slideshows as planned. The grads rolled with it all, gave their speeches, celebrated each other, and still had a great evening together. Congratulations to all the graduates!
UPDATE: Fallen tree takes power out for 7,300+ customers in West Seattle and beyond; most restored within two hours
(Added: Screenshot from City Light outage map)
4:59 PM: Thanks for the tips on the power outage. 911 log has a “wires down†call in 7000 block 18th SW. 6,300+ homes and businesses are out, per City Light, as far south as White Center. Updates to come.
5:08 PM UPDATE: A downed tree is to blame in the location above, per emergency radio.
5:22 PM UPDATE: Actually more than 7,300 customers out – the SCL outage map shows this as two outages with that total.
5:39 PM UPDATE: For those asking about restoration estimates, while the City Light map offers them, as we often caution people, don’t put much faith in those, as they’re not based on an actual assessment of the outage, so it could be much later – or much sooner (and they tend to change). Just remember two things: Don’t open your fridge/freezer (so the cool air lasts longer), and intersections with dark signals are all-way stops!
5:47 PM UPDATE: There’s the tree that’s to blame for this. Thanks to Michael for sending the photo!
6:35 PM: SCL’s map shows most customers now restored – down to fewer than 500 out, mostly in Highland Park/Riverview.
9:53 PM: As noted in comments, 438 are still out – for the record, here’s that map:
UPDATE: Tree falls, causes power outage for 300+ homes in south Fauntleroy/Arbor Heights
6:26 PM: Thanks for the tips. Power’s out for more than 200 homes in south Fauntleroy/Arbor Heights. One reader says an “explosion” preceded this; the SFD log shows a “wires down” call at 101st/Marine View Drive.
7:03 PM: One of our original tipsters, Andrew, says a tree fell on a line at that location; crews are there now. Here’s a neighbor’s photo, shared via Andrew:
7:35 PM: City Light now says 338 homes are out.
8:14 PM: Map is back to 204 homes. A note if you’re paying attention to the “estimated restoration time” – which has moved from 1 to 2 am – it’s not based on anything much, SCL has admitted in the past, so it could be back on much sooner … or later. Most important advice: Don’t open your fridge/freezer, so the cold air lasts longer.
9:22 PM: City Light says all but 28 homes have power back.
UPDATE: Admiral power outage
6:12 PM: We have multiple reports of a power outage affecting the Element 42 building next to Admiral Safeway. Does it go beyond the building? We don’t know because so far, it’s not showing on the Seattle City Light map. And residents have been having trouble getting through to SCL to be sure they’re at least aware of it – if you call the outage hotline, you get a message saying it’s not working. We’re trying to reach SCL’s after-hours media to see if they can at least confirm it’s being worked on. One of our tipsters say balloons hitting power lines may be to blame.
6:14 PM: Literally while we typed the above paragraph, the outage finally appeared on the map after more than an hour, though for starters it says “one customer” (which could just be a reference to the Element 42 building).
10:42 PM: Map indicates it’s been fixed since last time we checked.
Brown water reported on Alki
Guy reports brown water at his residence at 58th/Alki. No incidents reported on the SPU water-trouble map; sometimes discolored water is the first hint of that, so it’s always important to report to SPU’s 24-hour line at 206-386-1800.
SAFETY: Here’s why SPU says some West Seattleites are seeing ‘fibers’ in their water
We’ve routinely reported “brown water” sightings for years – so many at one point, Seattle Public Utilities did a system “flush” in West Seattle in 2016 to try to clear out the rust and other sediment that was getting stirred up. Recently, we heard from multiple West Seattle Junction-area apartment residents with a different sighting in their water – white hair-like “fibers.” Here’s one description:
The hair-like objects range up to about half an inch in length and there was consistently a few in any glass of water. I could not tell if they were plastic, organic, or what. My only rudimentary test showed that they do not dissolve in vinegar. There was no discoloration.
That resident had dealt with SPU and property management among others to try to solve the mystery. SPU is on the front lines in terms of water safety, so we asked them. Here’s what SPU spokesperson Brad Wong told us late today:
Seattle Public Utilities has analyzed water samples from the area around 42nd Avenue Southwest and Southwest Alaska Street in West Seattle after receiving reports from customers of microscopic strands or filaments in it.
SPU believes the strands are a result of a recent algae bloom in one of our water supply reservoirs, which has occurred seasonally for more than 15 years. The water is safe to drink because SPU has treated and disinfected it. The Cedar River supply does not have filtration, but meets treatment requirements with ozone, UV light, and chlorine.
Customers who have concerns can call SPU’s 24/7 Operations Response Center at 206-386-1800. Customers may choose to filter their drinking water or purchase bottled water but should not consider this necessary.
SPU will contact customers who called with concerns and continue to monitor the situation.
The response didn’t explain why these complaints were mainly coming from The Junction; our tipster says the SPU person to whom they spoke didn’t have an explanation for that either. The reader quoted above says an SPU rep told them that the algae bloom was in <strong>Lake Youngs, a source for Seattle city water.
Brown water in Gatewood
Just out of the WSB inbox, multiple reports of brown water including this one from Grace: “Just wanted to report that I have brown water in Gatewood – 36th/Morgan. Called Seattle Public Utilities and sounds like they’ve been testing water hydrants.” SFD does most of that testing; but you still want to notify SPU if you have discolored or otherwise problematic water, 206-386-1800.
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