September 24, 2021

Kilmer, Kitsap County Commissioners Announce $10 Million Federal Grant for Kitsap County Defense Infrastructure Project

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners announced that they had successfully secured a $10 million federal grant for Kitsap County for the Bangor/Keyport Forcemain Replacement project – which will help fund the replacement of the sanitary sewer service force main break that supports Naval Base Kitsap (NBK)–Bangor. The grant, which Rep. Kilmer advocated for earlier this year in a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, was awarded by the Defense Department’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation under the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program.

“Upgrading our water systems and sewage infrastructure is important for the Navy, for military families, and for our region’s environment,” said Rep. Kilmer. “That’s why I’m proud to have worked with Commissioner Gelder and Naval Base Kitsap leadership to secure federal funding to replace this essential sewage infrastructure - which will greatly improve the resiliency and functionality of base operations, while protecting the health and safety of the families and workforce on the installations.”

“This funding will be a huge shot in the arm for the replacement of vital sewer infrastructure supporting the Bangor and Keyport bases,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder. “The lifecycle of the conveyance system has come to an end and this will ensure our ability to protect the environment while providing service to the bases.”

NBK-Bangor has 9,000 employees including active duty and federal civilians working onboard daily. In addition to this regular workforce, an additional 1,000 contract employees are expected for work daily at NBK-Bangor. All of these personnel rely on the sanitary sewer service provided by Kitsap County.

Kitsap County Sewer Utility owns and operates the Central Kitsap Wastewater Treatment Plant and sewer force main serving the town of Poulsbo, NBK-Bangor and NBK-Keyport. NBK- Keyport and NBK-Bangor in northern Kitsap County, Washington produce approximately 800,000 gallons per day of sewage and industrial waste.

The wastewater is pumped from pumping stations just outside NBK via ductile iron pipe to the 3.0 million gallon per day Central Kitsap Wastewater Treatment Plant, owned and operated by the Kitsap County Sewer Utility. Sewage at the treatment plant is then processed to a standard of cleanliness suitable for safe discharge to Puget Sound. NBK has no redundant or alternate wastewater treatment capabilities for these locations.

The existing pipe from Keyport to the Central Kitsap Treatment plant has evidence of significant corrosion, immediate failure risk with identified failure, and needs urgent repair. The grant will support engineering design, permitting, geotechnical explorations, construction, and construction management of the sanitary sewer service force main break that supports Naval Base Kitsap (NBK)–Bangor.

###