Utility Operations

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Utility operations and maintenance

Utility Operations is a part of the Water Resources & Sustainability Department. All utilities are maintained to ensure everything is in working order. It is our aim to provide quality essential services to our residents.

Drinking water

Drinking water crews cover all operation and maintenance of water production and delivery throughout the City. This includes well production, water treatment, distribution, and water quality monitoring.

Service Line Inventory

In 2024, the city completed a lead service line inventory as required by the US Environmental Protection Agency 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revision. The rule requires the composition be determined for all service lines. This includes both city and private line ownership.

The ownership, and therefore responsibility for maintenance of the service line, depends on which side of the meter the line is on. The line located between the main (usually found in the middle of the street) to the meter is owned and maintained by the city. The line between the meter to the building is owned and maintained by the property owner. See the following figure for more information.

Alternate Water Meter Location

The inventory determined that there are no known lead service lines or galvanized service lines requiring replacement.

To make this determination, a review of engineering records, permit documents, work orders, field books, city ordinances, development guides and codes, and county and city geographic information system data and maps was completed. Prior to 1992, the city relied on the review of the APWA standard specifications to determine possible service line materials.

To further check the service lines, 374 meters were randomly selected for visual inspection to confirm the material used for both the public and private side of the service line. The findings were applied to the remaining unknown service lines through a statistical method approved by the Washington Department of Health.

Hydrant Maintenance Program

Fire Hydrant Maintenance Program

Fire hydrants serve a critical function in our community both for fire protection and water system operations. Maintaining access, visibility, and operations are key factors included in a successful hydrant maintenance program.

Fire hydrants were routinely painted to maintain visibility and aesthetics. In 1995, the City updated the way hydrants were coated. The new procedure uses a heat applied powder coating process. The new coating process maintains reliable operations as well as high visibility for emergency responders and operators.

Currently, the City of Tumwater maintains over 1,700 fire hydrants and continues to grow every year. The hydrants have been prioritized for coating based on current conditions and divided into phases.

The interactive map below shows completed and planned completion of the remainder of the hydrants in the City’s water system.

See instructions PDF file

on how to use this map.

Unidirectional Flushing

What is unidirectional flushing?

Unidirectional flushing (UDF) is common among water utilities to improve water quality and properly maintain their water distribution system. A UDF program involves opening and closing valves in a specific sequence to create water movement in one direction. The water is then flushed out through a fire hydrant at the end of the sequence. UDF creates higher velocities of water flow through the system, which scours the pipes to dislodge and remove mineral deposits and sediments that accumulate over time.

Water service loss during flushing activities

Though not intentional, water service loss happens from time-to-time during the flushing program. If you suddenly lose service, please contact Operations and Maintenance. Once an issue has been reported to the City, a field crew will be sent to your location immediately to investigate.

Discolored water during flushing activities

Discoloration of water can occur during flushing. The color is most likely due to the presence of mineral deposits and sediments that are scoured from the surface of the pipes. These may include sand, iron (rust), and manganese, all of which are naturally occurring and common to virtually every water system.

It is normal for customers to experience some degree of discolored water for a short period during and immediately after the flushing process. The material that is causing the discoloration is common within water distribution systems and is not harmful to your health. Prior to using the water for typical indoor uses such as cooking or clothes washing, customers should turn on their cold water taps until their water runs clear. This process should only take a few minutes to complete.

If the water does not clear up by using this process, please notify us at 360-754-4150.

Water Leaks

Water leaks can become a big problem in a very short amount of time. If you notice water seeping up from the ground, or any other indicators of a pipeline break, please report it by calling Utility Operations and Maintenance immediately at (360) 754-4150 – day or night.

Leaks and Water Conservation

Did you know that a drip from a faucet every two seconds can waste up to five gallons of water a day? That is not only precious drinking water lost but a cost to you that can be avoided. All leaks should be fixed as soon as possible so we can conserve the precious water resources we have.

Water Quality

Water Shutoffs

Water shutoff is available upon request 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call (360) 754-4150

In an Emergency

If you find yourself in an emergency situation where you need your water shut off immediately, please do not hesitate to give us a call and we will come out to take care of it.

We ask that residents please do not try to access the meter to attempt shutoff themselves. Any damage done to the meter will be the responsibility of the property owner, NOT the City, and the resident will be responsible for replacing the damaged valve. Utility Operations and Maintenance staff will be more than happy to assist you in this, regardless of day or time.

Temporary shut-off or disconnect service

Temporary water shut-off or disconnect is available to customers and are commonly needed for repairing water lines on the property or if you are going on an extended vacation.

For temporary meter shut off, such as for making a repair, please contact utility operations and maintenance at 360-754-4150.

If you are going on vacation and want to suspend service for an extended period, contact utility billing at 360-754-4133. This service will have a one-time fee charged to your account at the time of disconnect. The fee will be applied to your utilities account for this service.

Sanitary Sewer

The City of Tumwater installs and maintains over 120 miles of sewer pipes to get wastewater to our regional wastewater treatment plant in downtown Olympia. This treatment plant is operated by LOTT Cleanwater Alliance. Learn more about wastewater treatment and reuse.

Sewer Backups

Report sanitary sewer overflow immediately

A sewer spill, also called a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO), is the result of blockages in the sewer lines. The city is required to report sewer overflows to the Washington State Department of Ecology.

If a SSO occurs on your property, or you observe one in the street, immediately report it to us at 360-754-4150. Calls can be received 24/7.

If the overflow/spill is occurring on your property, please follow these steps:

Stop flushing toilets or using water until the blockage is cleared and the spill is cleaned-up.
If wastewater gets near electrical outlets, turn off the electricity using the breaker box.
Call Utility Operations at 360-754-4150 to report the spill.
If the blockage is on your private property, contact a local plumber to assist you.
Avoid the area until clean-up crews arrive.

Sanitary waste can be a serious health risk. Take appropriate precautions when attempting to contain or clean up a sanitary spill on your property. If you have any questions, give us a call!

What can I do to prevent back-ups?

To protect your property follow these simple tips.

Don't put diapers, sanitary napkins or anything else in the toilet – even if it says “flushable.” Only flush what you’ve eaten first and toilet paper.
Don't dispose of grease down the drain.
Don't plant trees near sewer lines.
Don't connect any drains or sump pumps to the sewer system.

Stormwater

The stormwater crews conduct maintenance activities on the publicly-owned stormwater system to reduce flooding and improve water quality. They also act as the city’s spill response team to keep unintended pollutant discharges from entering the stormwater system.

To Report a Problem

If you can't unclog a storm drain or see one flooding, call the Utility Operations and Maintenance Department at 360-754-4150 or submit a report a problem online form and we'll take care of the problem.

Utility Locates

Call 8-1-1

Looking to do some digging on your property? Call before you dig!

The Washington State Utility Notification Center is open 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, and accepts calls from contractors, homeowners or anyone planning to dig. Locate requests are accepted over the phone, through a fax-a-locate program, or through the ITIC program. If you need to process a locate request, or need additional information about locates, you may contact the Utility Notification Center at any time.

You can also call Washington811 to find out what is buried before you dig. Two business days before you start digging, call 811 to speak to a live person who will take down your project details; the process takes under 10 minutes. After your information has been processed, the utility providers will send a worker to locate their buried lines for free. They will only mark the lines they own, and will not mark any private lines. You don’t need any permits for this process, and it is all completely free of cost.

Report a Problem

To report a problem with city water, sewer, and stormwater facilities:

Call Utility Operations and Maintenance at 360-754-4150, daytime or after-hours.

Complete a report a water or sewer problem online form. An email message is sent directly to utility operations staff. Be sure to include your phone number or email if you'd like staff to contact you. Online submissions will be reviewed during normal business hours.

Pay Your Bill

City of Tumwater, WA

Utility Operations