About the Lakeland Hills Pump Station Replacement

Pump stations move sewage up hill

The average person uses 80 to 100 gallons of dirty water per day—that could fill up a standard bathtub twice! Once that dirty water (wastewater) goes down the drain, it takes energy to move it through our wastewater system, clean the water at a treatment plant, and then release clean water into Puget Sound. In this case, the Lakeland Hills Pump Station moves sewage from your neighborhood to the South Treatment Plant in Renton.

Water follows gravity and flows down. When we need to move sewage up a hill to get to a treatment plant, it requires big pumps and lots of energy. Pump stations run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to keep sewage moving on the underground water “highway.”

When pump stations do not work or are unreliable, the sewage can overflow into a nearby water body and that can impact public health and the environment.

Here is a quick video describing how a pump station works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9-DXl028-Y&t=24s

Project overview

King County owns and operates the Lakeland Hills Pump Station. King County will replace the aging Lakeland Hills Pump Station and build a new facility in Auburn to upgrade sewer services in south King County. The Lakeland Hills Pump Station is an important part of King County’s connected systems of pipes and pumps. The pump station moves sewage from homes, schools, and businesses in the Auburn area to South Treatment Plant in Renton to be treated, eventually sending it off safely into the Puget Sound. Replacing the pump station will prevent sewage overflows and help serve the growing population of Auburn for many years.

Project vision

To build a new pump station to better serve the Auburn community for decades.

Project benefits

• Protecting community health and environment 
• Improving water quality 
• Increasing sewage capacity for the growing Auburn region
• Preventing overflows into nearby bodies of water
• Providing safe access for maintenance employees
• Business opportunities for local contractors and vendors

Project need

The Lakeland Hills Pump Station, located in Roegner Park, was built by the City of Auburn in 1981, and transferred to King County in 1997. The pump station has reached the end of its useful life. 

King County plans to fully rebuild the pump station due to maintenance and operational challenges, future capacity needs, and as replacement parts for the current model are no longer being serviced.

Replacing the pump station will also ensure that sewage flows safely to the treatment plant and help serve the growing population of Auburn for many years.

The existing Pump Station has a pump room and sewage storage tank below ground. Crews can only access these spaces with a machine lift or ladder (pictured below). The limited access for maintenance crews is a safety concern that needs to be addressed in the pump station replacement.

The underground station is accessed by two hatches. The open hatch on the left includes a elevator lift to provide access to the room below. The open hatch on the right includes a ladder to the "wet well" below where sewage enters the station.

Short-term upgrades to the Pump Station finished in December 2024. This includes a safer elevator lift for maintenance crews and a backup generator installed.

King County is committed to building a new pump station that can fully meet wastewater treatment needs of the community it serves. Part of that work will be to fully consider how the project can advance equity in the community through the pump station’s design, location and construction. King County looks forward to working with the community to build a sustainable facility that meets the needs of the community and reflects its values.

Key considerations in early planning phase for the facility location

We know that location matters. That’s why King County is considering many different factors when thinking about where to build the future pump station, including possible benefits and burdens that may come with relocating the facility. Here are some of the key factors that will be part of deciding the location: 

• Location of three local sewer lines owned by the City of Auburn that connect to the existing pump station.
• Cost
• Schedule
• Available nearby properties at a similar elevation
• Community priorities, input, equity, and social justice benefits
• Permitting and environmental considerations

Read our latest mailer update for more information about the three proposed sites for the pump station.