Capital Investment

About this measure: DNRP invests significant financial resources into system improvements of the natural and built environment. The Wastewater Treatment Division is focusing capital investments on increasing reliability and expanding capacity of the wastewater conveyance and treatment system. The Parks Division has been primarily steering capital investments toward improvements in the regional trail network. Solid Waste Division capital projects have been targeting transfer stations improvement, while the Water and Land Resource Division has been investing in habitat enhancements and protecting homes and businesses from flooding.

In 2007 all King County departments were given direction for tracking the rate for achieving capital project milestones. Because the milestones and tracking system were not yet established in 2006, this is a 'grey' or no data measure for 2006. However, summary information about capital projects is provided below, as well as maps showing the locations of capital investments over recent years.

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Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD)

Capital investment summary

The WTD embarked on one of its biggest capital construction efforts ever in 2006, investing nearly $250 million in more than two dozen major sewer improvement projects and numerous smaller ones. The projects were carried out as part of the Regional Wastewater Services Plan, a 30-year comprehensive plan adopted by the King County Council in 1999.

Projects included rehabilitating aging facilities to ensure continued reliability, expanding existing ones and building new facilities such as the Brightwater treatment system to provide enough capacity for the region's growing population.

Major projects under construction in 2006 also included:

• Controlling combined sewer overflows;
• Cleaning up contaminated sediment in the Duwamish River and Elliot Bay;
• Constructing treatment facilities in Vashon and Carnation;
• Upgrading and expanding three pump stations at Hidden Lake, Juanita and Pacific;
• Replacing aging pipelines and adding pipeline capacity in several locations in the system; and
• Developing a distribution system "backbone" for reclaimed water from the Brightwater treatment facility.

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Parks Division

Capital Investment Summary

King County's Parks Division embarked on one of its biggest capital construction efforts ever in 2006 in its Regional Trail System, investing over 50% of its budget, or $10 million, in acquisition, development and major infrastructure improvements. The projects were carried out as part of the 2004 Regional Trail Inventory and Implementation Guidelines Plan, a functional plan adopted as part of the county's Comprehensive Plan.

Projects included rehabilitating aging bridge and trestle structures to ensure continued reliability, acquisition of new right-of-way to secure land along regional trail corridors for future development, expanding existing trails to connect missing links that will serve a greater number of users in the urban and rural areas. Other major projects under construction in 2006 are consistent with the Parks Division's Business Transition Plan which calls for major investments that preserve the County's role as steward of regional trails, reduce operations and maintenance costs, generate new revenues to support the Division's operating budget or create new recreation opportunities through partnerships with community sports organizations.

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Solid Waste Division (SWD)

Capital Investment Summary

In 2006, the division began modernizing the solid waste transfer system in preparation for the eventual closure of the Cedar Hills Landfill and transition to waste export. The first facility to be renovated is the First Northeast Transfer Station which was closed and deconstructed. Construction of a new station began and is well under way with construction of the elevated tipping floor nearly complete. The new building will have several sustainable design features, including solar panels, rainwater harvesting for dust control and the use of recycled materials. Completion is slated for November 2007.

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Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD)

Capital Investment Summary Restoring and Protecting Waterways

Every year, almost 30 percent of King County generated surface water management fees are spent on large, capital improvement projects to restore waterways and acquire ecologically sensitive property. In 2006, six major and dozens of smaller projects were constructed. Work continues on various aspects of the multi-year Taylor Creek restoration and revamping White Center's drainage system.

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