2024 Tacoma Water Highlights
Overview
In 2024, we delivered safe, reliable water while strengthening the systems, people, and partnerships that support our community. We expanded conservation programs, modernized infrastructure, supported economic development, and invested in a skilled, diverse workforce.
This report highlights how we took action to meet today’s needs and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges, ensuring a resilient, equitable water future for everyone we serve.
Conservation
Our Water Conservation and Outreach team remained a trusted, approachable presence in the community throughout 2024. We focus on reducing peak seasonal water use by offering rebates, incentives, and educational resources.
Highlights
- Smart Irrigation Rebates: Helped 51 residential and commercial customers participated, installing weather-based controllers to reduce water waste and lower bills.
- Water Savings Kits: Mailed 1,950 kits with indoor and outdoor water-saving tools directly to customers helping them conserve water and save money.
- Commercial Kitchen Rebates: Supported businesses in replacing existing equipment with water-efficient, ENERGY STAR®-certified models.
- Toilet Upgrades: Incentivized the installation of 70 high-efficiency toilets at a local hotel.
- Service Line Grand and Loan Program: Replaced 40 leaking residential water service lines for a total of $309.6k in repair funds resulting in saving over 73M gallons. Sixteen included grants for income-eligible households.
- Customer Assistance: Helped 11 customers enroll in our income-based utility payment assistance program, providing over $4,900 in bill credits and discounts.
- Community Engagement: Attended 47 community events, reaching over 6,500 people. Eighteen events focused on youth across 16 zip codes. Our largest turnout was at the Sound to Narrows event with over 3,500 attendees.
Development
We supported steady development across residential, commercial, multifamily, and industrial sectors in 2024, reflecting continued demand in the Puget Sound region.
Highlights
- Water Services Stubs: Sold 326 stubs (about 30% of 2022 levels), indicating a shift from plat development to final home construction. Water Meter Sales: We sold 795 meters, reflecting the completion of residential plats and new homes additions.
- New Service Requests: Processed 265 requests for larger water services and created 265 time-and-materials estimates: 58 residential, 54 multifamily, and 153 commercial.
- Process Improvements (based on developer feedback):
- Streamlined the purchase process for residential fire/domestic combo meters to better align with construction timelines.
- Introduced fixed-fee options for paving and flagging, giving developers predicable, project-specific construction costs.
Projects
We advanced several infrastructure projects to improve reliability, efficiency, and long-term service delivery.
Major Projects
- Pinnacle Ridge: Substantially completed the tank and pump station to support reliable water delivery to the Tehaleh development.
- Water Operations Masterplan: Finalized a 20-year plan for our property 35th Street property and began and began designing a new warehouse and shops.
- Pipeline 1 Pressurization: Selected a design-builder for the Canyonfalls Creek Pump Station, in-line valves, and standpipe modifications.
- SmartWater Governance: Established a governance structure to support the Advanced Meter project.
- Cybersecurity: Partnered with the Utility Technology Services and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to assess our SCADA network.
- System Reliability: Conducted a 12.5kV genset testing and developed standard operating procedures.
- Data Infrastructure: Migrated our SCADA data historian and built a data pipeline for analytics.
- Green River Filtration Facility (GRFF):
- Designed a chemical feed line replacement in-house.
- Evaluated the ozone system and began designing improvements.
- PFAS Management: Launched a project to evaluate alternatives for managing PFAS in groundwater.
- Service Line Inventory: Submitted a full inventory to the Department of Health and validated approximately 400 lines in the field.
- Design Standards: Established a service level goal to complete 90% of designs within 15 weeks, 85% of the time.
- Coordination and Communication: Created a document for the 251 zone, Vulnerability Assessment, PFAS, and our Integrated Resource Plan.
- Other Notable Work:
- PRV Station Replacement at 99th & Aqueduct Dr E.
- Wells Master Plan (Work 5A and 13A).
- Water Data Makeover Project.
- Valve repairs at North End Reservoir (Valves 62 and 225).
Distribution Water Quality
Following the 2023 closure of the WestRock Pulp Mill, we proactively monitored and adjusted system operations to maintain water quality including:
- Seasonal chlorine adjustments.
- Pressure zone valve changes.
- Increased flushing.
- Piloting swab flushing in two areas to remove sediment from when the Green River was an unfiltered source.
Service Line Inventory
In response to updates to the federal Lead and Copper Rule, we:
- Created a comprehensive inventory of service line materials.
- Inspected 400 randomly selected sites with limited historical records.
- Confirmed no lead service lines in our system.
Ozone Treatment
We began ozone treatment at the Green River Filtration Facility in 2007 to help to address taste and odor concerns. Over time, key components of the system have reached the end of their service life, and manufacturer support has become limited.
In 2024, only one of two ozone generators was operational for extended periods. While we advanced the design for a modernized treatment system and worked closely with the manufacturer to troubleshoot and restore both generators to full operation, ensuring continued water quality and reliability.
Living Our Values
Belonging
Workforce Development
We continue to invest in our workforce to ensure employees have the skills and expertise needed to deliver exceptional service. Our long-standing development and retention programs include:
- A state-recognized apprenticeship program
- Leadership development opportunities
- Operator in Training pathways at our treatment plant
- Knowledge transfer initiatives to retain institutional expertise
Customer Focus
Community Outreach
We actively participate in outreach events to build a workforce that reflects the community we serve. By raising awareness of career opportunities in the water utility sector, we aim to inspire the next generation and create a diverse talent pipeline.
In 2024, we engaged with students and job seekers at these events:
- Apprenticeship Expo
- Women in Trades
- STEM Academy
- TPU Academy with the Boys and Girls Club
Participants connected with employees, explored career paths, and took part in hands-on demonstrations that showcased unique and rewarding work.
Safety
At Tacoma Water, safety is foundational. Our employees work in in diverse environments, often facing physical, technical, and environmental challenges. In 2024, we continued to strengthen our safety culture through proactive leadership, employee engagement, and participation in citywide injury prevention programs.
Overall Safety Stats
(2024 compared to 2023)
- Corrective Actions: 13 (↓ from 46)
- Leadership Site Visits: 7 (↓ from 8)
- Total Recordable Injury Rates: 3.87 (↓ from 4.22)
- DART (Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred) Rate: 1.93 (↓ from 2.30)
Hazards are constant, but so is our response. Tacoma Water’s 18-member Safety Leadership Team works continuously to eliminate or correct hazards. Their efforts, alongside every employee’s commitment, help ensure we all go home safely to what matters most.
Note: Corrective Actions and Leadership site visits were not standard operational expectations for all divisions, and the data may reflect this inconsistency. Additionally, due to limitations with the existing data platform, some divisions tracked their own data independently, some of which may or may not be fully represented here.
Financials
2024 Tacoma Water Financial Highlights
2024 Tacoma Water Financial Report