The City of Bellevue annual water main program replaces old, deteriorated, small-diameter pipe with new ductile water main pipe. The City replaces 5 miles of old water pipe each year to minimize and reduce risk of potential disruptions and address concerns of old infrastructure.
Although projects and field conditions vary, a general factsheet has been developed for reference on what to expect when a water main project goes to construction. Neighborhoods and existing conditions may deviate from expectations, but the City aims to minimize impacts where we can.
Construction Impacts
Please note that other jurisdictions may have additional policies and permitting requirements when working in the Right-of-Way. The info below applies to the City of Bellevue.
Will I be able to access my property during construction?
Yes, the contractor is required to maintain access to properties. Site constraints may require additional coordination and possible delays in access.
What will traffic control look like?
Flaggers will be present to safety direct cars through the project site. Partial lane closures will occur in applicable areas. Some site conditions may require a greater presence of traffic control.
Where will equipment be staged?
Equipment will be staged in the public Right-of-Way. Equipment will not block property access.
What will vehicular access to roads and properties look like on narrow roads?
Additional coordination for work timing will occur with homeowners for narrow, 1-lane roads. For locations where access is limited, the contractor would likely need to backfill or place steel plates during work hours for vehicular traffic. This may result in ~20-minute delays.
What size will the construction equipment be for smaller areas?
Smaller trucks and excavators will be used for narrow access roads.
How will the road be restored?
Temporary Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) will be poured first until permanent HMA is put in. Permanent HMA is much smoother than temporary HMA and will be poured before the end of the water main replacement project.
A future pavement project will consolidate all paving sites requiring a full-width road restoration. The City of Bellevue Utilities and Transportation department will coordinate road restoration sequencing when possible.
How will my yard be restored during water service connections?
Yards that were disturbed will be restored before finishing a neighborhood site. Once water services are replaced, paving will occur and final restoration will occur after. You may see some demobilization occur before new equipment arrives for these steps.
What are typical project working hours?
Typical working hours are 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. The construction contractor may apply for different working hours. For up-to-date working hours, contact the project inspector or contractor.
How will I receive project and construction updates?
Postcard mailers will be sent throughout the design phase and 1 month before the start of construction. Additional notifications and coordination may occur for site-specific needs.
Water Shutdown
Please note all durations, occurrences, and ranges listed are typical numbers based on previous projects. Field conditions can affect typical estimates. We aim to minimize disruptions as much as possible and try to finish quicker, but sometimes exceptions happen. We recognize this is an inconvenience and we will work quickly to restore service once the work is complete.
What is a water main shutdown?
A water shutdown is a City-initiated water disruption to make repairs or new connections to the water system. For City projects, this is to connect the newly built pipe into the water system.
When do water main shutdowns occur?
Water main shutdowns typically occur between 8:30am – 5:00pm. Shutdowns do not occur on consecutive days (if there is more than 1) to the same properties and we try to avoid more than once a week.
What is a water service connection interruption?
A short water disruption occurs when the new individual water service is connected to your property. This disruption is typically 1 hour in duration but is often shorter.
What is the difference between a water main shutdown vs. a water service disruption?
A water main disruption affects the city’s larger pipeline that carries water to multiple homes and buildings. A water main shutdown is longer in duration and will affect sections of homes/buildings all at once.
A water service disruption affects the service pipe to individual homes and buildings. A water service disruption is shorter in duration and will affect singular buildings at a time.
How many water main and service disruptions should I anticipate?
Typically, 1 mandatory water shutdown is required to connect the new water main into the water system and 1 mandatory short water disruption to connect your individual service into the system. However, additional disruptions may occur depending on the configuration of the water system and field
When will water shutdowns occur and how will I be notified?
Once construction begins, you will be provided with more details on the estimated duration, day of shutdowns, and other details prior to any shutoffs.
All shutdowns will provide notification through courtesy notices (door tags) at least 2 days in advance of any planned shutdown. For secure buildings, such as apartments, courtesy notices will be left with the building manager.
How can I prepare for a water shutdown?
For info on how to prepare, the Utilities department has a general webpage available: Water Main Shutdowns
PROJECT CONTACTS:
For specific or additional questions about water main projects in your area, project contacts are included below.
To locate which Year and Phase your neighborhood is included in, refer to the Capital Projects Dashboard Map.
| PROJECT NAME | STATUS | PROJECT MANAGER | CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR |
| 2025 Phase 1 | Construction | Jim Stockwell JStockwell@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4868 | Weston Dalfrey WDalfrey@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4125 |
| 2025 Phase 2 | Construction | Jim Stockwell JStockwell@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4868 | Robert Rudd RRudd@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-42422 |
| 2026 Phase 1 | Construction | Jim Stockwell JStockwell@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4868 | Chris Pierson CPierson@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-6109 |
| 2026 Phase 2 | Construction | Ali Sabeeh ASabeeh@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-7663 | Weston Dalfrey WDalfrey@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4125 |
| 2026 Phase 3 | Design | Christina Pham cpham@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4284 | Will be updated in construction |
| 2027 Phase 1 | Design | Jim Stockwell JStockwell@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4868 | Will be updated in construction |
| 2027 Phase 2 | Design | Ali Sabeeh ASabeeh@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-7663 | Will be updated in construction |
| 2027 Phase 3 | Design | Christina Pham cpham@bellevuewa.gov 425-452-4284 | Will be updated in construction |