The health of Lake Whatcom, Bellingham’s drinking water source, affects the entire community. Lake Whatcom is not only a reservoir for drinking water, it is a flood control system, a popular recreation site, and where phosphorus pollution develops from pet waste, detergents, leaves and grass.
Bellingham’s drinking water is among the nation’s cleanest; however, too much phosphorus degrades the lake’s environmental health, so the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County have projects to capture and treat excess phosphorous.
At an Open House 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 at the Bloedel Donovan multipurpose room (2214 Electric Ave. in Bellingham), community members are invited to learn about recent water protection projects in the Lake Whatcom watershed, as well projects planned for this summer and next year. It is also an opportunity to ask questions of project engineers and learn more pollution threats.
Future work includes water protection projects at E. North, E. Oregon and on Britton Road in the Silver Beach neighborhood. Recent City of Bellingham projects include:
- Lake Whatcom phosphorus management;
- Right of Way retrofits along Lake Whatcom; and
- Continuing collaboration between the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County.
If you have any questions about the Open House, please contact the City of Bellingham Public Works Department via 778-7912 or email AskPW@cob.org.
