Pipe fracture cuts off water for up to 22K Snohomish PUD customers

Emergency repairs to a water line east of Lake Stevens may cut off water for 24 hours for nearly 22,000 Snohomish County Public Utility District customers, officials in Everett said Monday.

After finding fractures in the pipeline Saturday, crews shut off part of Everett’s 52-inch “number three” transmission line. The 88-year-old line moves water from a filtration plant in Sultan to the city, according to a news release.

The repairs may take “at least” 24 hours, the release states. The cause of the fracture is unknown. It’s about 1.5 miles east of the Pilchuck River, near Dubuque Road.

“Everett is working around the clock to restore service to this critical water pipeline,” Jeff Marrs, Everett Utility operations superintendent, said in the release. “This is an emergency situation for our customers on Transmission Line 3, and we are coordinating closely with them.”

While no customers in Everett are impacted, the city “is a regional water utility that serves most of Snohomish County via four water transmission lines.”

Officials are asking all customers in the Snohomish and Lake Stevens areas to conserve water until the repairs are completed.

“We’re asking customers for their assistance in helping us by reducing water usage and stopping all recreational and non-essential uses of water,” said Jeff Kallstrom, Public Utility District chief water operations officer. “We recommend not washing vehicles or pressure washing surfaces until we are back to normal
operations. Also hand wash dishes and take shorter showers.”