 Readying our infrastructure for decades to come
 Click on the image above to watch the KCTV video about our visit to the North Mercer Island/ Enatai Sewer Upgrade Project
On Tuesday, I joined the King County Wastewater team to visit the North Mercer Island/ Enatai Sewer Upgrade Project, which is happening underneath the East Channel Bridge that connects Mercer Island with Bellevue. There, we watched crews with unique expertise in underwater construction lay down pipe along the bottom of Lake Washington for a project that will provide reliable sewer service to Eastside cities, improve habitat, and enhance the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail (also known as the I-90 Trail).
King County is upgrading four miles of sewer pipeline and associated pump and lift stations across north Mercer Island and southwest Bellevue. The existing pipes, installed in the 1970s, are aging and reaching capacity.
This upgrade is a big project that’s been years in the making. When work is complete, in late 2025 or early 2026, the new pipe and upgraded pump stations will keep sewage flowing efficiently for the next fifty years or more.
Watch KCTV’s video on our tour and what the project will do for King County residents:
Thank you for the honor to continue representing the residents of King County District 6
 On Tuesday, I had the honor of standing with our newest King County Superior Court Judge, Rania Rampersad, to be sworn in for another term as King County’s District 6 Councilmember after being re-elected this fall.
Somewhat ironically, this term will be shorter than usual - only three years - largely due to my own efforts. In 2022, I worked with stakeholders and successfully proposed a change to our County charter to move elections for separately elected King County positions (Assessor, Elections Director, Executive, and County Council) from odd years to even years. This change was approved by voters in November 2022 and will dramatically increase both the number and diversity of those who turn out to vote for these important positions. To implement the change, we are shortening our terms by one year, so that the next time this council position is up for election will be in 2026, instead of 2027.
Regardless of the length of term, representing District 6 on the Council for the residents of Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond, and the Points Communities is a great honor and responsibility. Thank you for your confidence and for the opportunity to serve you. As always please reach out to me with any ideas, concerns, or questions.
Winter recess
 The King County Council has begun its winter two-week recess and will resume on the first week of January 2024. This regular weekly email will also pause and return in 2024. In the meantime, I hope you have a happy holiday season and wish you a Happy New Year!
Spread the word!
Please forward this email widely and invite others to sign-up to my email updates to receive important and timely information for District 6 constituents.
Sincerely,
 Claudia Balducci
King County Council
District 6
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