October 2024

Read this email in: 中文 (Chinese, simple) | 正體字 (Chinese, traditional) | ខ្មែរ (Khmer) | Español (Spanish) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Reporting back on summer 2024 community input!

Between June 1 and August 31, 2024, King County hosted several online and in-person events to share information about the Mouth of Duwamish Wet Weather Facilities and gather input from the community. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed! We heard from nearly 2,000 people who live, work, and travel through the project area, and this input is essential in shaping the future of this project. 

King County attended community events in SODO and neighboring communities to share information and gather input.

Community engagement outcomes

King County shared information about community engagement opportunities through door-to-door poster distribution, email outreach, e-newsletters, a postcard mailing, social media posts, and website updates. We also held a series of briefings with organizations representing people and businesses that will be impacted by our work. Promotional materials and outreach activities included information in simplified and traditional Chinese, English, Khmer, Spanish, and Vietnamese, whenever possible. Here are the results!

Community engagement outcomes by the numbers

What we heard

Read on to learn what we heard and how we'll use your input. Findings about what we heard are bolded and information about how we'll use each finding is listed underneath. 

Access to safe and efficient transportation, community and public safety, healthy built and natural environments, family wage jobs and job training, and strong vibrant neighborhoods are all priorities for community members in the project area. 

Supporting our communities' visions and goals aligns with our Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan. We will assess the potential for each possible solution to deliver benefits in alignment with these neighborhood values. During the design phase, we will look for opportunities to integrate these priorities.

Community members want to see pedestrian infrastructure improvements, clean air and access to green space, and more trees and recreation opportunities in SODO and West Seattle (Industrial District West).

Our team will incorporate these elements in the Mouth of Duwamish Wet Weather Facilities to the extent possible during the design phase of the project.

Community members are interested in learning more about all the factors considered during King County’s efforts to identify the best solution.

Once King County identifies the best solution for this work, we will explain how we expect the project to perform related to community and social impacts, environmental impacts, operations and maintenance, cost, and schedule.

There are many projects planned in the project area, and community members will feel the compounding impacts of construction. 

Our team is in active communication with Sound Transit and the City of Seattle. We will pursue a coordinated approach with Sound Transit and the Seattle Department of Transportation to help reduce construction fatigue and make it easier for community members to get the information they need.

What's next?

This project is currently in the planning phase. In early 2025, King County will identify the best solution to reduce CSOs at the five mouth of Duwamish outfalls. At that time, we will share information about the best solution by hosting drop-in sessions, sharing emails and holding briefings with community-based organizations, publishing a project newsletter, sending email list updates, updating our website, and posting on social media.

We anticipate planning to end in spring 2025, with design and construction of projects associated with the Mouth of Duwamish Wet Weather Facilities to immediately follow.

Want more information? 

Visit the project website to read our summer 2024 community engagement report summary.

To see answers to common questions King County received during this phase of outreach, explore our planning phase Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Don't miss our Fall Job Fair and Workforce Training Symposium

When: Wednesday, October 23, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Where: South Seattle College Georgetown Campus: 6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108

King County Wastewater Treatment Division is partnering with South Seattle College this fall to host a job fair and workforce training symposium. Jobseekers can explore diverse career and paid training opportunities in clean water, sustainable building, and construction! The event will feature hands-on “day in the life” job demonstrations, networking, resume assistance, and more. It’s a great chance to meet employers hiring now and in the near future. Refreshments and Spanish interpretation will also be available. This free event is open to the public, welcoming people at all stages of careers and education. Register by Friday, October 18, to receive a printed name tag at the event.

We are dedicated to listening to the community’s needs.

We want to make sure that everyone has access to information and can take part in ways that work best for you. You will have many options:

• Contact us to have a one-on-one conversation by phone, video chat, email, or in person.
• Visit kingcounty.gov/MDWetWeatherFacilities for the latest updates.
• Invite us to a meeting hosted by your group or organization.
• Join remotely or in person at future meetings at project milestones. We will post on our website and email list once these are scheduled.

If you have suggestions for how we can best work with you, please let us know! Contact Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh at Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov or (206) 477-5604.

Interpretation and translation services are available to you at no cost. If you need them please contact Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

Los servicios de interpretación y traducción están disponibles para usted sin costo alguno. Si los necesita, comuníquese con Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

សេវាបកប្រែនិងបកប្រែអាចរកបានសម្រាប់អ្នកគ្មានការចំណាយ។ បើត្រូវការគេសូមទំនាក់ទំនងមកកាន់ Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

免費為您提供口譯和筆譯服務。如果您需要這些服 務，請聯絡 Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

免费为您提供口译和笔译服务。如果您需要这些服 务，请联络 Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

Dịch vụ thông dịch và biên dịch được cung cấp miễn phí cho quý vị. Nếu quý vị cần những dịch vụ này, xin vui lòng liên hệ với Bibiana Ocheke-Ameh, Bibiana.Ocheke-Ameh@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-5604

Alternative Formats Available: 206-477-5371 or TTY Relay: 711