Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) delivered a $500,000 ceremonial check to the City of Bellevue to replace old pipes and upgrade the wastewater management system along Lake Washington. DelBene secured the investment in the FY26 federal funding law.

This federal investment will be dedicated to the Lake Washington Sanitary Sewer Lines Program. First installed in the 1950s and 1960s, the wastewater management system’s pipes are aging and need to be updated. They currently serve approximately 1,900 residents in the Hunts Point, Yarrow Point, Evergreen Point, Medina South, Meydenbauer Bay, Killarney and Newport South areas. Without repairs and modernization, the “Lake Lines” will begin to fail and could release raw sewage into Lake Washington. This federal funding will aid the City of Bellevue in developing a plan to manage and update the system, which will protect public health and the local ecosystem.

“Lake Lines serve 1,900 members of our community, but the aging pipes’ location along the shoreline and in Lake Washington create challenges for upgrades,” said DelBene. “Bellevue has worked tirelessly to come up with a strategy to update these pipes to preserve access, protect public health, and avoid harm to Lake Washington. This funding will make a difference in the development and eventual implementation of this critical project.”

“Most people never think about the sewer lines running along Lake Washington - and that’s a good thing. But some of this infrastructure has been serving Bellevue since the 1950s and 60s, and now it is our responsibility to plan for what comes next,” said Bellevue Mayor Mo Malakoutian. “We are grateful to Congresswoman DelBene for helping secure this federal investment and for recognizing that a $1.2 billion challenge will require continued partnership. This funding helps us start that work now, protect Lake Washington and plan responsibly for the generations that will depend on it.”

DelBene secured over $22.2 million for 15 community projects across Washington’s 1^st Congressional District in the FY26 federal funding package. Only non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities are permitted to receive funding.

More information about the project can be found here.