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Portions of the City of Blaine's municipal sewer
system are more than 50 years old. The age of the system is one of the
factors that make it a potential source of bacterial contamination for
Drayton Harbor. Old lines with deteriorating connections and possible
breaks can leak sewage into surrounding soils and waterways. The old
system also allows for infiltration and inflow (I & I) of
groundwater and stormwater, which add additional burdens on the system;
the resulting increases in flow can result in overflows in the system-
stormwater, groundwater and sewage overflow the pipes' capacity and
contaminate the soils and water courses nearby. The City of Blaine also
has an underwater force main that carries untreated sewage across the
mouth of the harbor to their treatment plant; this is another potential
source of pollution. Through programs like their I & I
reduction and stormwater improvement program, the City of Blaine has
done a lot to reduce the impacts their system has on the waters of
Drayton Harbor. Through cooperative efforts and partnering, a number of
projects have been completed to help improve and repair Blaine's
municipal sewer system.
The City
of Blaine
- City of Blaine Illicit Connections
Project - In 1999, the City of Blaine conducted smoke and dye
testing in some of the older portions of the wastewater collections
system. Based on the results from these tests, 49 illicitly connected
services were discovered. Only a handful of these illicit connections
have not been fixed. The few remaining illicit connections will be
corrected as the City adds yard drains to the properties to connect
them to the storm sewer system.
 Replacement
of the Underwater Sewer Line - In 1996, the City of Blaine
replaced the 10" diameter fiberglass force main sewer pipe that crosses
under the mouth of the harbor with a 14" diameter ductile iron,
segmented pipe. The fiberglass pipe was replaced because it was failing
and leaking.- Overflow Storage - In the
spring of 2000, the City of Blaine installed 4- 50,000 inflatable
storage bladders at Lift Station #1 on Marine Drive to provide
additional storage for sewage during storm events/ overflow situations.
The bladders were used for the first time in December 2001; without the
bladders, untreated sewage would have been released into the marine
waters in and around Drayton Harbor.
  Inspection
and Repair of the Sewer Line along Marine Drive - This was a
big accomplishment for the City of Blaine in 2000/2001. This project
was funded and supported by WRIA1 Early Action Funding, Department of
Ecology, Semiahmoo First Nation, City of Blaine Public Works, Puget
Sound Restoration Fund and the Drayton Harbor Shellfish Committee.
Repairs were made to 8 manholes, 8 joints, 1 lateral plug and 5 pipe
breaks as a result of the video inspection done in 2000 on the Marine
Drive sewer line. This has been a great project that exemplifies
teamwork and the importance of follow-up and follow-through in
affecting change.
- Pressure testing of the Blaine sewer
force main - In May of 2001, the City of Blaine pressure
tested their underwater 14" force main, which carries untreated sewage
across the harbor to their treatment facility. The 2700 feet of line,
which is constructed of ductile iron and has 150 joints, was pressure
tested at 100psi. The main passed the test. The City has continued to
conduct a pressure test on their underwater force main on an annual
basis. It passed the pressure test in 2002 and again in 2003. This
annual pressure test has now been incorporated as a requirement in the
City’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) Permit.
- National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Review/Renewal- In
2002, the City of Blaine’s NPDES permit came up for review
and renewal. Several citizens and groups commented on the permit. As a
result of the various comments, the Department of Ecology, which has
oversight of NPDES permits, made a few modifications to the permit. The
annual pressure test that the City is already performing on its
underwater sewer main was incorporated into the permit as a requirement
now. The City will also have to meet stricter requirements for their
TSS (total suspended solids) and BOD (biochemical oxygen demand)
monitoring.
- Marine Drive Dye
Test -
Conducted in 2003, this dye study was used to determine whether sewage,
possibly leaking from main lines and manholes, was partly responsible
for fecal coliform contamination in the commercial portion of Blaine
Harbor. Based on test results, it does not appear that the main
sanitary sewer system is contributing to the high fecal coliform levels
observed in Blaine Harbor.
Photos: City of Blaine
On-site Septic
Systems
Municipal Sewer Systems
Agricultural
Practices
Boats/Marinas
Stormwater Runoff
Wildlife/Non-human
Contributions
Other Sources
Education and
Community Involvement
Data Management/Water
Quality Monitoring
Reports
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