March potluck provided an closeup look the city's Environmental Services
- kencomclub
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
100th Anniversary potluck series offers kids an education in city operations
A crowd of 26 Kenmore residents attended the Kenmore Community Club March 12 potluck to hear about the city's Environmental Services. The department charged with managing the city's surface water involves a complex array of systems including over 4,550 catch basins and manholes, 69 miles of drainage pipes, 13 miles of ditches, and over 200 flow control and water quality facilities.
In addition, the department manages an additional 2,400 catch basins and manholes, 47.5 miles of drainage pipes, 6 miles of ditches, and 130 flow control and water quality facilities on private land, as well as coordination with neighboring cities.
The goal is to maintain a balance between safe roads, sidewalks and roadways with protecting the environment. Environmental Services Director explained that while most people assume rainwater runoff from roads goes into the city's sewers, they don't. For the most part they drain into a system of creeks and waterways that end up in the Sammamish slough and Lake Washington.
The small staff the department is charged with minimizing the impact of all that water on the environment and the lake as well as planning for future development and the impact it will have on water quality in the city's lakes and streams.
The potluck series is celebrating city services as part of the Kenmore Community Club's 100th Anniversary going on throughout the year.
The next potluck presentation will feature the Northshore Utility District. Bring the kids and a dish to share to the next potluck April 9, 6:30pm to 9pm to learn about what makes a city run.
