Hide Article Text (OCR)
THE ENTERPRISE, October 1, 1986- 9-AOfficials may check for sewage leaks after residents complain about algae in BallingerBy ANDRA MARHEFKAEDMONDS — Responding to resident complaints, the cities of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace are discussing checking for breaks in main sewer lines that run around Lake Ballinger.Bob Boye of Edmonds, one of the residents who expressed concern about the lake’s water quality, said the lake appears to have had an “inordinate amount of algae in it this summer.”Boye, who raises salmon at his waterfront property on Lake Ballinger, said the nearby Hall’s Creek and Martha Lake “have not had the terrible algae problem that’s plagued Lake Ballinger. Even Green Lake in Seattle, which has experienced similar water quality problems, was not affected much by algae this summer.”The citizen activist said there has been some speculation that possibly a crack in a sewage pipe near the lake has been contributing to its higher pollution levels.There have been five sewage spills in the area since 1978. Mountlake Terrace, which has jurisdiction over the Ballinger Pump Station, was recently fined and ordered to upgrade the station after an investigation of two of those spills.Boye noted that residents who live in the vicinity of the Ballinger Lift Station, located at North 205th east of Meridian Avenue, have been aware of an “awful smell” all summer. “It’s detectable 100 yards any direction from the pump station,” he said, adding the odor “had not been that strong” before.Bob Alberts, Edmonds city engineer, said one possibility is that tree roots could have gotten into the pipe joints and caused some breakage.“Mountlake Terrace water quality specialist Bob Aldrich had voiced a concern that there could be leakage from pipes near the lake’s shore,” Alberts said, adding that he has received citizen complaints to the same effect.ALDRICH, Terrace water quality specialist, said he has recommended that sewer pipes be checked as part of an “overall program” to eliminate possible sources of pollution in the lake.He said while there could be pipe leakage, he stressed there are “a number of factors” that contribute to the water quality of the lake. “I believe a major source of pollution comes from the watershed — it’s the soap from car washes, motor oil and run-off from construction projects,” he said.Aldrich denied Boye’s contention that the lake was more polluted this summer than in the past. “It has not worsened,” he said, adding that a “100 acre lake” cannot be compared with nearby “ponds.”He added too, that “Boye’s assumption that there is a crack in a sewer line because there is a bad odor by the pump station, is totally subjective.”He noted, however, that the city “does respond” to citizens who request sewer lines be checked for possible breakage. The city of Edmonds also has the same policy, according to Alberts, Edmonds engineer.Aldrich said he has a scheduled meeting with Bobby Mills, the Edmonds superintendent of Public Works, to discuss checking sewer lines around Lake Ballinger and the lines that feed into the pump station.Lake Ballinger lies on the boundary between Mountake Terrace and Edmonds and the two cities work cooperatively in monitoring the water quality of the lake.ACCORDING TO Terrace City engineer Carl Rautenberg, Mountlake Terrace has an ongoing maintenance program for checking sewer pipes.“We usually do inspections at the same time as Edmonds, since we don’t have the equipment,” he said.Alberts, Edmonds engineer, said the process involves placing special television cameras inside manholes.“We’ve been using the camerasfor about eight years,” he said. “Everything that the camera picks up can be seen on a screen, so the condition of a pipe can be recorded on the spot.Alberts said three workers can usually cover one block in 90 minutes. There is approximately one manhole per 400 feet he said, adding “it’s a big job.”Terrace water quality specialist Aldrich said in his meeting with Mills this week, they could decide what sewer lines should be checked with the television monitors.Mills, Edmonds superintendent of public works noted, however, “Nothing has been determined at this point. It’s all in the planning stages.”City officials from Terrace and Edmonds could not recall when the last time the sewer lines near the lake’s shoreline had been inspected.THE CITY of Mountlake Terrace has started holding public hearings to answer questions from residents about the lake’s water quality.“We will be having regular public meetings in order to keep residents up-to-date on our monitoring program and to gather feedback,” said Aldrich, Terrace water quality specialist.At the Sept. 23 meeting, Aldrich said he received “a number of suggestions” from the Lake Ballinger Community Club and the Surface Water Advisory Board.MILL CREEK DETAIL AUTO GLASSI:l:i:I*II606 - 164th St. S.W. i ■■■COUPONHand Wash WaxShampoo Interior Clean complete interior Dress Tires and Wheels Steamclean Engine Undercoating10% OFF 1 per vehicleLYNNWOOD■■■■COUPONn^AUTO GLASS |$20 Rebate on Replace- |$5mentsRebate on Repairs 1 per vehicleIIIExpires 12-31-86 | | Expires 12-31-86 ^Jj742-8888
Newspaper Details
Edmonds Enterprise
Edmonds, Washington, US
Wed, Oct 01, 1986
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Everett P.
OR, USA 16 Nov 2024
Other Publications Near Edmonds, Washington
Edmonds Enterprise
