Water

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Pay my utility bill 

The City of Kirkland's Water Division operates and maintains the City’s water infrastructure from parts of the South Juanita and Totem Lake neighborhoods southward. The Northshore Utility District and Woodinville Water District provide water to the Finn Hill, Kingsgate, and North Juanita neighborhoods.

The City of Kirkland provides drinking water purchased from Seattle Public Utilities through Cascade Water Alliance, an association of regional water districts and cities. The water typically comes from the South Fork Tolt River Watershed in the Cascade Mountains. Seattle Public Utilities performs most sampling and treatment of Kirkland’s drinking water.

The Cascade Water Alliance serves over 370,000 residents and 22,000 businesses. It was created to meet current and future needs for water in a cost-effective and environmentally sensitive manner. Cascade purchases wholesale water from other suppliers. They also coordinate conservation programs and supply management. In addition, Cascade acquires, constructs, and manages water supply infrastructure and fosters regional water planning. 

Why was my water bill high?

For questions on your water utility bill, please contact Utility Billing at 425-587-3150.

Public and private responsibility

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Within Kirkland's water district, the City of Kirkland operates and maintains the public water infrastructure. This includes the water mains and water meters. The customer owns the private water service line from the house/building side of the water meter back to the house/building. 

The pipes and plumbing that convey water within private property, including but not limited to the hot water heater, shutoff valve, PRV, backflow assemblies, irrigation system, irrigation box, faucets, and drains, are the responsibility of the property owner.

The city does not have a record of where a building's private shutoff valve is located.

2023 Water Quality Report

2023-Water-Quality-Report_1.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Per the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act and Washington State Department of Health requirements, the City of Kirkland provides an annual report(PDF, 8MB)  on the origin and quality of the water it provides. Ongoing testing in 2020 showed that Kirkland's drinking water met or exceeded all state and federal drinking water standards.

Please note that the Northshore Utility District and Woodinville Water District provide water to the Finn Hill, North Juanita, and Kingsgate neighborhoods. If you live in those areas of Kirkland, you may contact the district that serves you for a copy of their water quality report.

Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its Lead and Copper Rule Revisions to help protect our drinking water from lead exposure. Part of the Rule requires public water systems, including the City of Kirkland, to inventory all water lines and the materials they are made of. The EPA requires the process to be complete by October 16, 2024.

Is there lead in our drinking water?

Kirkland’s water sources do not contain lead or copper. Ongoing testing shows that Kirkland’s drinking water meets or exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards.

Lead and copper can leach into residential water from plumbing systems that contain copper or lead. Homes built or plumbed with copper pipe before the 1985 King County lead solder ban may have used lead-based solder. The EPA criteria considers these pipes to be “high risk."

What is the City doing?

The City of Kirkland takes your water quality seriously and we’re working hard to meet Rule requirements. Our work includes creating an inventory of City and customer side water lines and the materials they are made of.

We’re scouring building, permitting, and capital project records, and reviewing past maintenance work orders to help with this.  You may see our crews at work on streets doing field investigations.

The good news is our existing data shows that we’ll likely find little or no lead service lines, either on the City or customer side.

The inventory process is not expected to cause significant interruptions to water service, or transportation delays on roadways.

What can you do?

Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Environmental Protection Agency website.

 

More information on the Rule can be found at:

US EPA - Lead and Copper Rule Revision

WA Department of Health - Lead and Copper Rule

Backflow Program

If you need to submit a backflow test report, or have questions about the Backflow Program, please visit our Backflow Prevention web page

Current residential water rates

Water, Sewer, and Garbage Rates

Water rates are measured in units. A unit is approximately 748 gallons or 100 cubic feet. Billing is for a two-month period.

The average person uses three units of water per month. So a family of four would use 24 units per billing cycle. Your actual consumption may vary depending on lifestyle and season. A leaky toilet or water leak can dramatically increase your bill. Bills also may be substantially higher during warmer months when you use a lot of water outdoors.

A City of Kirkland utility tax is added to all water service charges. It is listed separately on your bi-monthly utility bill per Kirkland Municipal Code 5.08.050.

Helpful hints for your water meter

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Know where your water meter is located. In general, the meter box is located along the frontage of your property in a black plastic box.

Reading your meter is much like reading the odometer in your car. Most meters in the City have six digits and measure usage in cubic feet. For every 100 cubic feet of water used, the register will show that one unit of water has passed through the meter. For instance, if your meter shows a read of 0542/35, it means that 542 units and 35 cubic feet of water have been used since that meter was installed. When an additional 65 cubic feet of water is used, the register would read 0543/00 (one unit of water is equivalent to approximately 748 gallons).

If you suspect a leak, check to see if any of the dials (usually a red or silver triangle) is spinning when all water sources in the house are turned off. For a more detailed explanation, please see Why was my water bill high?

It is also important to keep your meter box clear of debris, fences, and shrubbery so that it is accessible to Water Division personnel. A good rule of thumb is to keep at least three to five feet clear on all sides.

If it becomes necessary for you to shut the water off to your house or building for emergency reasons, simply use a crescent wrench and turn the shut off valve (also known as an angle stop) in a clockwise direction until the two eyelets line up. If the angle stop in your meter box does not have eyelets, there should be an arrow stamped into the top of the valve. Turn the angle stop in the same manner until the arrow is pointing away from the meter.

As with your water meter box, fire hydrants in front of your property need to be kept clear of debris, shrubs and other obstructions. This is critical for maintenance as well as emergency access for the Fire Department.

Know where your water shutoff valve is

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It’s important that you know where your water shutoff valve is and how to use it. The City does not have a record of where your water shutoff valve is located. 

You may need to use this in event of an emergency such as flooding or an earthquake, when you’re having plumbing work done, or when the building will be unoccupied for a time.

Shutoff valves are commonly located in basements, garages, laundry rooms, and crawl spaces. They may be a ball valve (straight handle), gate valve (wheel handle), or another type of valve.

Requesting information for a design or permit

If you need technical information for designs or a permit, such as water pressure, elevation, or distance, please contact the appropriate water purveyor. There are several water purveyors within Kirkland city limits.

If the address is within Kirkland's water district, you may call Public Works Development and Engineering at 425-587-3800. Otherwise, please contact the Northshore Utility District at 425-398-4400 or the Woodinville Water District at 425-487-4100.

For more information on permits, visit the Development Services Center's Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical and Fire Permit Process page.

Water pre-approved plans

Please visit our Water Pre-Approved Plans page for more information. If you have questions, please call Public Works Development and Engineering at 425-587-3800.

Hydrant meters

If you wish to rent a hydrant meter, please contact Public Works Development and Engineering at 425-587-3800.

Fill station permits

If your company wishes to use a water fill station, you must apply for a permit and have each vehicle inspected by the Water Division. Please call 425-587-3900 for more information. 

Water saving suggestions

  • Wash full loads of dishes and clothes

  • Fix leaking faucets

  • Check toilets for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait a few minutes. If the color comes into the toilet bowl, the flapper is leaking and should be replaced.

  • Keep drinking water in the refrigerator to keep it cold rather than running the faucet

  • Shorten your showers by a minute or two and save up to 1,800 gallons per person each year

  • Minimize faucet use when brushing your teeth, shaving and washing dishes

  • Use a shut-off nozzle on outdoor hoses

  • Sweep driveways and patios instead of hosing them

  • Wash your vehicle at a commercial car wash

  • If you have an irrigation system, make sure it is in good working order at the beginning of the watering season. Run the system and check for line breaks, missing spray heads, and overspray onto pavement. Program the system run times to match current weather conditions (don’t water when it rains).

  • Consider plant water requirements when planning gardens and landscaping projects. Talk to your local nursery or landscaping service about plants that are drought tolerant.
  • For a complete list of water saving suggestions, visit Cascade Water Alliance's Conservation Tips

    If you have a question regarding finding household leaks or trouble shooting why your water bill was high, please see Why was my water bill high?

Capital Improvement Projects

Visit the Construction Projects page for more information on what Kirkland is doing to strengthen our infrastructure. This page includes an interactive project map. 

Acquisition of Lake Tapps by Cascade Water Alliance

Locate markings and digging

Washington State Law requires that underground utilities be marked before you dig. The City of Kirkland marks city utilities in the public right-of-way only. Puget Sound Energy, Comcast, Ziply, Northshore Utility District, Woodinville Water, and others have underground assets in Kirkland as well. 

Some underground utilities belong to you, such as your side sewer, water service line, and private storm water system. The city does not mark underground utilities on private property. You will need to hire a private company to mark your personal property. 

The paint used for locate markings is designed to wear away in time. The city does not remove it. The color of the paint indicates what type of asset has been marked. 

The Washington Utility Notification Center and Washington811.com have more information about marking underground utilities. Call 811 before you dig. 

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