
Sewage Seeps In Washington Town Desperate For State Funds
Listen
The sewage system is crumbling in Carbonado, Washington, near Mt. Rainier. And if Washington lawmakers fail to pass a capital construction budget before they adjourn Thursday, a plan to replace it—and many other projects around the state—will be put on hold.
Carbonado is an old mining town of about 700 people. It has clay sewer lines that are a century old. Daillene Argo, the town’s clerk-treasurer, said they recently scoped the system and found collapse and decay.
“Which means we are leaking gray water everywhere our sewer lines go,” she said.
Where those sewer lines go is through the yards and under the homes of Carbonado residents. The system is so degraded they have to flush it every other week.
And there’s another problem: the town’s water lines run too close to the sewer lines—so they also have to be replaced.
“When you have a water and a sewer problem it’s a gigantic problem,” said Republican state Sen. Phil Fortunato, who represents the town of Carbonado.
After years of planning, the replacement project is shovel-ready. But now the town is facing an indefinite delay of game. That’s because a significant chunk of the funding is wrapped up in the state’s capital construction budget. Republicans have refused to put that budget up for a final vote until there’s an agreement on how to deal with a court ruling that restricts drilling for wells.
Fortunato said that issue is so important it’s worth delaying passage of the capital budget. Even if it means a delay for Carbonado’s sewage project.
“Well, we’ve waited this long we can wait a little longer,” Fortunato said.
Argo agrees the well issue is also important. But she said there’s more to it than that.
“We’re leaking sewer water all over town,” Argo said. “And it’s irresponsible to not correct that; it’s a health hazard.”
But Carbonado may have to wait until next year when lawmakers reconvene at the Capitol.
9(MDEwMDE0NjgyMDEzNDY0NDY5NTBmNTc1Yg004))
Related Stories:

Federal funding cuts, freezes hit Palouse nonprofits
Palouse area nonprofits focused on helping with emergency food and the arts have had their funding frozen or cut.

Why affordable housing providers say they’re facing an ‘existential’ crisis
Affordable housing providers across the Northwest have been contending with rising insurance premiums — and, in some cases, getting kicked off their plans altogether.

Pacific Northwest author’s new novel captures atmosphere of the region
On a gray, early spring morning, I drove to Steilacoom, Washington, to catch the ferry to Anderson Island. I boarded alongside the line of other cars and after parking, stepped out onto the deck of the boat. The ferry pushed off from the dock and rocked a little in the Puget Sound before steadying.
I took this journey to the real Anderson Island to see from the water what inspired Northwest author Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum’s new novel, “Elita,” which was published earlier this year. Sundberg Lunstrum was inspired while sailing around the Puget Sound to write a mystery novel on an island.
Sundberg Lunstrum read excerpts of the book at a gathering at Tacoma’s Grit City Books.