News and Current Events

Review the most recent information about LOTT capital projects, permitting, public hearings and special events, new publications, and community updates.

Kaiser Road Forcemain and Water Line Project

The LOTT Alliance and City of Olympia are working together to complete the Kaiser Road Forcemain Replacement and Water Main Extension Project. LOTT will replace 7,165 feet of forcemain pipeline from the Kaiser Road Pump Station to the previously replaced line on 14th Avenue NW. The City of Olympia is extending the water line along Kaiser Road to improve overall system reliability. Construction for the forcemain and water line is scheduled to begin in May, and to be complete in November. LOTT will make every effort to minimize traffic impacts.

LOTT will also be completing an upgrade of the Kaiser Road Pump Station and a spot repair to an existing forcemain on 14th Avenue. Upgrades to the pump station will continue into spring 2009, with minimal impacts to roadways and traffic.

Preparing for Construction:
Changes at the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant

As we get ready to build the new Administrative/Education Center at the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant, changes in access to the Plant, parking, and office locations will be required. Some of those changes are already underway.

Access – The parking area and main entrance to the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant, located at 500 Adams Street NE, will be closed to public access by May 1. All visitors to the Plant must enter at Gate #4 on Franklin Street NE. Deliveries, tour groups, mail carriers, and others must use this entrance. Visitors can use the phone at the Gate to request entry or use their cell phone to call 360-528-5700 for assistance. A camera at the gate will allow LOTT staff to assist visitors and open the gate remotely.

Parking – Visitors entering at Gate #4 will travel east on the access road to the breezeway, a covered portion of the road. Several parking stalls on the north side of the breezeway are available for visitor parking. All visitors must enter the Maintenance Building via the door to the right and sign-in before proceeding to other locations within the Plant.

The Budd Inlet Treatment Plant site will be a construction zone for the next two years. Avoid active construction areas and exercise caution when near the site. Many of our offices and functions will be temporarily relocated during construction. Your patience is greatly appreciated. For more information, contact Lisa Dennis-Perez at 360-528-5719.

State of the Utility Report 2008

LOTT works diligently to provide an essential service to the public, and this Report details much of the work accomplished over the last year. We faced some challenges in 2007, including the rainstorm of December 3, which resulted in record flows coming to the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant. During the year, we also made great strides toward improving our operations and planning for the future needs of our communities.

After several years of significant organizational change, 2007 was a year to reassess and document where LOTT has come as an organization, take some major tangible steps to implement the Asset Management Program, make education a major focus with planning for a new Administrative/Education Center, forge some new and expanded community partnerships, and recognize accomplishments of Board and staff members.

Strategic Business Plan

The LOTT Alliance provides wastewater management and reclaimed water production services for the urban areas of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater in Thurston County, Washington. LOTT’s wastewater management system is one of the largest investments our communities have made. Efficient and effective use of this investment in infrastructure, collectively valued at more than $350 million, is the key to success in meeting LOTT’s overall mission. This Strategic Business Plan is an effort to document LOTT’s organizational philosophy and approaches to effectively managing this substantial community investment.

Excellence in Management Award

The LOTT Alliance is one of six agencies nationwide selected to receive the Excellence in Management Recognition Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) during a ceremony on February 6 at NACWA’s 2008 Winter Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Excellence in Management Recognition Program recognizes public clean water utilities that implement progressive management initiatives and thereby advance the goals of the Clean Water Act. Committed to clean water and a healthy environment, NACWA represents over 300 public agencies and organizations that serve the majority of the sewered population in the United States and collectively treat and reclaim more than 18 billion gallons of wastewater daily. LOTT meets this commitment to clean water through its significant efforts over the past several years to maximize efficiency during an era of rising costs and ever-expanding water quality challenges.

“It’s truly an honor to receive this kind of high level recognition from our professional peers,” said Doug Mah, President of the LOTT Board of Directors. “The LOTT staff, management, and Board of Directors have worked hard over the past few years to ensure this utility operates as efficiently and responsibly as possible.”

Like many wastewater utilities, the LOTT Alliance faces management challenges including impending staff retirements, difficulty hiring skilled replacement workers, rapid population growth, an aging infrastructure, increasingly stringent permit limitations, and public perception. To address organizational challenges, LOTT has developed several new programs over the past three years, including a Strategic Business Plan, a recruitment and retention initiative, career development program, apprenticeships, and an asset management program. LOTT’s reclaimed water program, in coordination with the continuing water conservation program, helps restore and preserve water resources and assure ongoing wastewater treatment capacity.