Sewer district receives FEMA grant to replace Sudden Valley reservoir

SUDDEN VALLEY, Wash. – FEMA is stepping up to help a Whatcom County sewer district repair a deteriorating reservoir.

Officials from the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District said in a statement that they received a grant of over $1.7 million from FEMA to replace the Sudden Valley reservoir.

Combined with additional funding from the Washington State Military Department, over $2.2 million will be spent to fund the project.

The Sudden Valley reservoir was built in the 1970’s

Recent surveys found that the reservoir is not only considered “structurally deficient”, but it is also “significantly oversized” compared to the community it serves.

The funding will enable the district to replace the current reservoir with two smaller reservoirs.

Early earthquake detection technology would also be installed in both of them.

Construction is expected to begin in 2023.