Reservoirs are storage tanks that buffer strain on the water supply system during peak demands, store water for firefighting and allow for continuous service during brief supply shutdowns. As population grows, we need to be able to store more water. Based on regulations and industry standards, Bellevue will need additional reservoir volume sometime after 2030 to serve anticipated growth in downtown, BelRed and other areas.
The city has already exhausted other alternatives to constructing more storage, including updated efficiency standards that reduce demands, and construction of added transmission capacity to access available storage elsewhere in the system. That work improved redundancy and extended the anticipated deadline (from 2020 to after 2030), but new storage still must be planned and built.
Opportunity for public input
The city is conducting a reservoir siting study, which will involve the community. This is an important project that will evaluate the following factors:
- Technical feasibility
- Community benefits and impacts
- Operational impacts
- Costs
- And other factors
We will offer virtual and in-person opportunities to stay informed and to share your input, including small group and one-on-one meetings, walk-and-talks with project staff at candidate sites, an online open house on EngagingBellevue.com and a survey. At the conclusion of project milestones, we will provide updates on how stakeholder input has been considered and addressed in project decisions.