State to help fund new MI water supply pipeline

By Andy Nystrom • July 28, 2025 9:30 am
Mercer Island City Manager Jessi Bon addresses the media on April 4, 2024, regarding a leaking underground water pipe that posed a landslide risk to a section of the city on April 3, 2024. Joining her at the press conference — which occurred at the Mercer Island Community Event Center — are, at left, Seattle Public Utilities’ Wylie Harper, and at right, Eastside Fire Rescue Chief Ben Lane. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo
Mercer Island City Manager Jessi Bon addresses the media on April 4, 2024, regarding a leaking underground water pipe that posed a landslide risk to a section of the city on April 3, 2024. Joining her at the press conference — which occurred at the Mercer Island Community Event Center — are, at left, Seattle Public Utilities’ Wylie Harper, and at right, Eastside Fire Rescue Chief Ben Lane. Andy Nystrom/ staff photo

Mercer Island Mayor Salim Nice signed three letters of appreciation to state legislators on July 15 for their appropriation requests and votes in support of the $1.2 million in state grant funding for the city’s new water supply pipeline.

At their July 15 meeting, the Mercer Island City Council authorized Nice to sign the letters that the city would then send to 41st Legislative District Sen. Lisa Wellman and representatives Janice Zahn and My-Linh Thai. The elected officials applied for this funding on the city’s behalf and voted for its inclusion in the capital budget, according to a city press release.

“This grant will be used to fund a portion of the construction of a critical infrastructure project that will ensure the ongoing supply of safe and reliable drinking water for Mercer Island residents well into the future. The new water supply line will substantially improve the water system’s resiliency by being much stronger and more resistant to earthquakes. Additionally, the grant is expected to reduce the financial impact to the city’s water fund and ratepayers on Mercer Island,” according to the city’s letters to the legislators.

City documents refer to an April 3, 2024, incident when a Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) underground water pipe sprung a leak. According to a previous Reporter story, the incident caused a landslide risk that had city staff alerting about 20 nearby homes in the vicinity of 95th Court Southeast about the situation and directing them to depart their properties until further notice.

The leaking 24-inch high-pressure water pipe, which provides water to the Island, created unstable soil conditions. For 120 days, Mercer Island’s water system received water from a smaller 16-inch backup supply line while emergency work was underway to repair the leak in the 24-inch main pipe.

After extensive repairs along with filling, flushing and disinfecting the water supply pipe, Islanders resumed normal water use on Aug. 1, 2024.

With information flowing in the present day, recent city documents state: “Given the overwhelming cost responsibility held by the city, and the importance of this water supply line, the city began exploring options to replace this segment of the SPU line with a stronger, earthquake resistant supply line in an alternative alignment.”

City documents add that the estimated planning level cost for the water supply line replacement along with the other related improvements sits at approximately $19 million. Following anticipated design and permitting completion this year, construction is scheduled to begin in late 2025 or early 2026, the city said.

“Thank you for your crucial work in securing this significant investment in our community and for your ongoing partnership in promoting the safety and well-being of Islanders,” the letters read.