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King County will repair a culvert that runs under the Eastside Interceptor Section 14 (ESI 14) underground sewer pipe. Crews will also build a retaining wall to support the slope at the site of the culvert and stabilize the stream near the culvert. This work will protect the ESI 14 sewer pipe.
Crews completed repairs to the ESI 14 sewer pipe in February 2026. Crews installed a 3,000-foot temporary above-ground diversion pipe to maintain sewer service during the repair work. This pipe will remain on the west side of the trail to support culvert repairs. After crews complete their work, they will remove the diversion pipe and restore the site.
King County reviewed the project under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). SEPA studies how a project is likely to affect the environment. The review looked at environmental elements such as noise, water, wildlife, and transportation. Based on this review, we issued a Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS). A DNS means the project is not expected to cause major impacts to the environment.
Environmental reviews are usually completed before construction begins. Because this project involved emergency repairs, work on the ESI 14 sewer pipe and the temporary culvert stabilization did not require a SEPA review before construction started. To make sure we looked at the project's full environmental impacts, this review includes both the completed repairs and the upcoming work.
The ESI-14 SEPA documents are posted here: https://kingcounty.gov/wtdenvreview
We are now accepting public comments on our environmental review through August 3.
King County will accept public comments on the SEPA DNS through 11:59 pm on August 3, 2026. Comments should be submitted via email to WTDSEPA@kingcounty.gov or via regular mail to:
Jacob Sheppard, Supervisor, Environmental Planning, King County Wastewater Treatment Division
201 S Jackson Street, MS: KSC-NR-6200
ESI 14 sewer pipe is a 7-foot diameter pipe, which carries about 2.6 million gallons of wastewater a day during dry weather. In July 2025, King County and City of Kirkland crews found a leak from the County’s ESI 14 sewer pipe that was entering the culvert. King County coordinated with Public Health – Seattle & King County, and no public health risk was identified.
Crews repaired the ESI 14 pipe run under the Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC) Trail in February. Construction of a retaining wall and repairs to the culvert are planned for the summer and fall of 2026.
To stay informed about the project, please visit the Eastside Interceptor Section 14 joint rehabilitation project webpage.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Emanuel da Silva (mano) by calling 206-296-7432 or emailing mdasilva@kingcounty.gov. We offer interpretation services at no cost.
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