Bothell sinkhole is latest Brightwater project problem

King County's Brightwater Sewage Treatment System project has hit another snag with a new sinkhole forming in Bothell.

The sinkhole formed on a vacant property south of the Collage Condominiums near State Route 527 and Northeast 195th Circle in Bothell earlier this month, and the county now believes the Brightwater project is to blame, according to KOMO News.

The affected area is in a wooded and undeveloped property, the county said, and the sinkhole poses no threat to the surrounding area.

City of Bothell Senior Civil Engineer Dave Phelps said he became aware of the sinkhole March 11 and spoke with the King County subcontractor about filling it, he told the Reporter. The county applied for a grading permit March 22 and Phelps is currently reviewing the permit. He will notify the county if it is approved within the next week; if so, the county will pay a fee and a permit will be issued for the subcontractor to begin filling the sinkhole.

While Phelps isn't sure of the subcontractor's timeframe to fill the sinkhole, he noted: "They have indicated they are anxious to get this done."

In 2009, a sinkhole some 15 feet deep opened up at the foot of a private driveway in Kenmore. King County said the work crews were performing some 150 feet below the surface caused the ground to sink away.

Brightwater was also in the news last year with drill repairs and a new contractor.

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