Water and Sewer

Water & Sewer Maintenance provide services for the water utility and the sewer utility.  We focus on excellent customer service, planning for growth, replacement of aging infrastructure, and compliance with Federal requirements.  

Water and Sewer FAQ

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What goes down the toilet?

Only the three P's can go down the toilet! (Poop, Pee, and toilet Paper) Check out our reminders on what not to flush. 

Dont-Flush-6-languages.pdf(PDF, 2MB)

Caring for your septic system

Snohomish County Health District regulates and inspects septic systems within the City of Lynnwood. They have excellent information on their website on the care and maintenance of septic systems. 

 

If your septic system is failing?

If your system is failing and you do choose not to rebuild it, you may hook up to City of Lynnwood sanitary sewers, which are available on almost every street. Call Development Services at 425-670-5219 for more information.

 

 

Who do I call when my sewer backs up?

Typically the problem is not with the City’s sewer main in the street. See Sewer Line Cleaning for more information on who is responsible for Sewer maintenance and cleaning. Usually, the blockage is caused by root intrusion or disjointed pipe in the sewer lateral, which runs from our main to your house. Most homes have a sewer access point, or cleanout, near the sidewalk. Some homes have another immediately outside the house.  Unfortunately, even if you have one of the cleanouts, they are buried under grass or landscaping. Once a plumber finds these access points, they can usually run a root cutter or TV camera in your pipe to fix or find the problem

 

Where should my roof, foundation, and/or basement drains be plumbed to?

All of these drains are considered to be transmitting rain water, and should be connected to the public storm drain system. In some cases, there may not be an available connection into the public’s storm drain system near your property. In those cases your drains may be directed onto your lawn or yard via a splash-block, may be directed into an underground infiltration trench, or handled some other way on your property. In no circumstances should your drains be connected into the sanitary sewer system. If you have specific questions about your connection, Public Works staff are available to assist you.

 

What do I do if I routinely have large puddles of standing water in my street during rain storms?

Most likely, the cause is leaf debris clogging the grate of the storm water catch basin. The City does its best with its street sweepers to pick up all the leaves and debris. However, during heavy storms at the right time, too many leaves come down for us to handle. If you take a simple garden rake and pull the leaves off of the grate, the standing water should flow away.

 

How do I turn off my water?

Almost every house has a valve to turn of the water located inside the house where the water service line enters.  If you cannot find the in-door valve, or you need to do maintenance on your water service line, call Public Works  and one of our Water technicians will come to your home during business hours and turn the valve at your water meter.  They city may charge a fee for shutting off water and turning back on water service. The City does not want customers turning the valve at the meter themselves, we can come to your home during business hours to show you how to turn off the meter valve during an emergency.

 

What do I do if my tap water looks dirty?

The most common cause in the city of Lynnwood for dirty water concerns is rusty pipes. Pressure fluctuations inside the water pipes, especially if the service has been off for a time, turned on and off, tend to loosen the rust that has been clinging to the inner walls of the pipes. The rust comes in contact with flowing water and an off color will appear brown.
To eliminate anything in the water we must first find the source. If only the hot water side is colored, the suspect maybe a bad water anode rod that needs replaced. Talking with your plumber is recommend for this work. Also flushing the hot water tank is sometime recommended to improve the vessels life, again talk first with your plumber.
Galvanized pipes are also a cause of dirty water and normal use usually will aid in keeping your water clear and fresh. However, flushing your homes water system and normal use seems to be the best method in clearing up dirty water concerns for almost all our customers.
Please feel free to contact your water department for more ideas.

Tap water delivered by the City of Lynnwood is regulated by the Clean Water Act and is tested daily.  See the CITYS WATER QUALITY REPORT (LINK IT HERE)

 

Did you know? Water saver kits are available to the public, free of charge, upon request. We always try to have water saving outdoor nozzles, outdoor water timers, moisture meters, water saving shower heads, and aerators available. You can request these in person at the City Hall front desk.

Looking for Utility Billing? Visit the Utility Billing web pages

Looking for information on Water Treatment and our Treatment Plant? Check out our page here.

Questions? Contact the Utilities Supervisor at 425-670-5241 or pwrequest@LynnwoodWA.gov