Media Release (PDF >)
Tukwila, WA — Cascade Water Alliance celebrated its 10th anniversary with a luncheon today, noting its accomplishments over the past decade, and unveiling plans for upcoming public outreach on its water transmission and supply planning for the next several decades.
Cascade is an eight member nonprofit corporation formed in 1999 to provide clean, safe and reliable water to their almost 400,000 residents and more than 22,000 businesses. Members include the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, Kirkland and Tukwila, the Covington Water District and the Sammamish Plateau and Skyway Water and Sewer Districts. Membership is open to all municipal water systems in the Puget Sound region.
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See 10th anniversary celebration photos >
See proclamations and commendations | King County >
See proclamations and commendations | City of Bellevue >
See proclamations and commendations | City of Tukwilla >
Lloyd Warren, Cascade chair and commissioner with the Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District, said Cascade has successfully met its initial mission of ensuring the availability of clean, safe water for East and South King County communities, and that planning for the next several decades is underway.
The accomplishments were made possible through partnerships with Seattle and Tacoma, both of whom will continue to provide water to Cascade as its full water supply system is built out. Other accomplishments celebrated include:
• Purchase of Lake Tapps from Puget Sound Energy as the region’s first new water supply source to be created in decades. In 1911, Lake Tapps was formed as a reservoir by Puget Sound Power & Electric for generation of hydroelectric power from the White River. Now, almost a century later, Puget Sound Energy is no longer producing power there.
• Historic agreements with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians that provide for the protection of fish, habitat, and stream flows in the White River. Download a PDF of this article >
• Agreement with the Lake Tapps Community to preserve Lake Tapps as a valuable recreational resource while Cascade creates the first new water supply in the region in decades. Download a PDF of this article >
• Conservation programs that save about half a million gallons of water a day
“We are here today not just with our members and our customers, but with our regional partners who understand planning today is essential in developing a water supply for tomorrow,” said Warren. “Water resources take a very long time to plan and develop which is why we are planning now for water that only our children and their children will see.”
“Looking ahead, Cascade is finalizing the purchase of Lake Tapps to secure a much needed new regional water supply source to provide future generations with water,” added Chuck Clarke, Cascades new CEO.
Cascade recognized its regional partners at the event as organizations that shared that vision and commitment.
Seattle Public Utilities and Tacoma Water – Both provide water to Cascade and, will continue to work with Cascade to plan for the entire region to ensure that if there is ever a disruption in service each agency can back each other up.
Puget Sound Energy – PSE has been an invaluable partner as we have worked together on water rights. We expect to complete acquisition of Lake Tapps late this year and Puget will continue to operate the lake for the next few years.
Lake Tapps Community Council — Cascade pledged to the residents that this beautiful resource will be preserved while Cascade creates its water supply system from that lake.
Cascade also acknowledged the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe with whom Cascade created an historic agreement last summer that provides for the protection of fish, habitat, water supply and recreation in the White River and Lake Tapps, as well as its local legislative contingent, led this past session by Senators Fred Jarrett and Rodney Tom and Representative Roger Goodman, for their efforts to obtain eminent domain authority for Cascade, which will make planning and construction of transmission of water a reality.
“Cascade is building a system for future generations, working on regional solutions,” added Clarke. “We are planning for the future. And we will continue to have regional public forums, jointly sponsored by our member agencies, throughout the Cascade service area to share information with our neighbors and to hear their views.”
As part of that planning process, public meetings and information sessions will be held throughout the region. Persons interested in participating or being informed of meetings should visit Cascade’s board meetings page or email us.
