CK drenched under 4-inch storm surge

An estimated four inches of rain soaked Central Kitsap Monday, snarling traffic, flooding basements and overwhelming a sewer pump station in Old Town Silverdale.

“The lift station in Old Town Silverdale, at the end of Washington, (was overrun) with detritus and storm water, some valves failed. They’re trying to bypass the area,” said Stuart Whitford, water quality program manager for Kitsap County Health District, Monday afternoon.

An estimated 30,000-50,000 gallons of wastewater flowed into Dyes Inlet as county crews worked to unclog and repair the station, said Ralph DeClements of Kitsap County Public Works.

Health District staff posted a seven-day ‘No Contact’ warning for the area. Currents and winds seem to be moving the spill down the coast, making Erlands Point, Rocky Point and Tracyton part of that no contact area.

The sewage spill was contained at about 5:30 p.m. and a half dozen tanker trucks were used to keep up with the flow while the pump was repaired, DeClements said.

High water also caused problems for CK motorists as Silverdale Way was down to two lanes between Myhre Road and the Waaga Way overpass. Holly Road from Green Mountain Road to Boundary Trail Northwest was closed Monday afternoon as was Seabeck Road from Miami Beach Road to the Seabeck Post Office, county public works officials said.

Although the rain kept all public works crews busy through the afternoon, Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue officials reported no major incidents in daylight hours.

Fire crews responded to flooded basements and officials urged citizens to make long-term preparations to stop recurring floods.

Although they want to help with the water, lifesaving comes first.

“We can’t tie up a crew all day for one person’s basement,” said Judy Knudtzon Banks, CKFR spokeswoman.

She urges drivers to pay attention to standing water on the roads.

Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management officials are keeping an eye on the weather, but aren’t overly concerned with large-scale flooding. They received at least six calls Monday from people with clogged drains in their basements, said Sharon Aker, program specialist with the department.

“We’re watching, that’s just about all we can do,” Aker said.

Cougar Valley Elementary students got a day off from school after a power failure occurred at about 7:30 a.m. School district officials cancelled classes when it was believed power would not be restored until the afternoon. Staff, however, did not have the day off.

A Puget Sound Energy spokesperson said the outage was caused by a pole fire and not related to the weather. Power was restored at about 3 p.m.

As the daylight ended Monday, at about 6:30 p.m. CenCom dispatchers reported a fiery accident near the intersection of SR 303 and McWilliams Road. Dispatchers reported at least one possible fatality in the accident. Dispatchers were having a hard time finding a clear landing site for a medivac helicopter to transport victims from the accident. At press time a helicopter was being vectored to Bremerton National Airport.

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