Kent residents are served by multiple water utility service providers. To find out which water utility service area serves your home or business, please contact Public Works Operations at 253-856-5600 or Customer Service Utilities Billing at 253-856-5201.

To help ensure your drinking water is safe to drink and of the highest possible quality, the City of Kent conducts water system maintenance that involves the periodic flushing of hydrants and water mains. Water main cleaning is accomplished by inserting a foam cube through a fire hydrant that has been disassembled and pushing the cube with water through a section of the water main and out the exit point through another fire hydrant that has been disassembled. This process removes inorganic build-up on pipe walls and any sediment that may have collected over time.   

When we are preparing to flush water mains in a particular area serviced by the City of Kent's Public Works Water Division, we notify the impacted residents and businesses when it will take place. We will also place sandwich boards out with additional information. Here’s how you can help prior to the water main flushing: 

• Draw and store enough water to meet your needs during the temporary interruption.
• Refrain from using or turning on any faucets during the shutdown.
• Turning off the energy source to your water heater may help prevent possible damage or problems from the main flushing. If you have a gas hot water heater, this means turning your control to pilot. If it is electric, switch the breaker to off. 

If you experience any discolored water once your service is restored, try these tips to clear it up: 

• First, open the outside faucet closest to your water meter and run water until it flows clear.
• Next, flush a toilet or run cold water into a bathtub until the indoor water is clear.
• Once the water is running clear, you may resume normal water use. 

We regret any inconvenience this temporary interruption may cause, and we appreciate your patience. If you have questions or experience any problems from the flushing you can submit a service request using our KentWorks portal or if the issue is emergent please contact us at 253-856-5600.

Valve Turning Map

View the City of Kent's 2023 Water Quality Report.

(Also see the City of Tacoma's Water System Report for more information on Kent's water sources)

Take our Customer Water Quality Survey.

The City of Kent recently updated it’s Water Use Efficiency (WUE) goals. A description of the new WUE goals, and the measures proposed to achieve the WUE goals may be found in Appendix E of the City’s Draft 2019 Water System Plan (WSP).

 App E - 2019 WUE Program

2020 Water Use Efficiency Goal Report

View Hydrant Meter Instructions

View the Fire Hydrant Use Policy PDF.

View the Hydrant Use Map 2020.

• A permit for a 1-inch and 3-inch meter is valid for a maximum of 60 (sixty) calendar days. A permit for a 3-inch RPBA is valid for a maximum of 21 (twenty one) calendar days. Failure to return the meter within the specified time period is a misdemeanor and will result in fines of up to $300.00 (three hundred dollars) per day, which will continue to accrue until the fire hydrant meter or RPBA is returned to the City of Kent Water Department where it was obtained. 
• There is a permit fee of $50.00 for a one-inch meter, $100.00 for a three-inch meter and $150.00 for a three-inch RPBA assembly. In addition to the permit fee there is a consumption charge at the rate of $4.73 per hundred cubic feet.
• A copy of the current fire hydrant use permit must be kept in the vehicle or on the job site (i.e., always at the location where the hydrant is being used) and must be presented to the Water Division or Kent City representative upon request.
• Never separate the connected check valve from the meter or disassemble any part of the meter. Any failed meter assembly is to be returned immediately to the Water Division. Users shall be held responsible for any damage to the meter assembly, including all repair or replacement costs.
• Use of the water for any purpose other than that which was originally stated on the fire hydrant use permit, or which creates a potential hazard to the water system, will result in the immediate revocation of the permit and confiscation of the apparatus Meters will not be issued to applicants who have outstanding charges owed to the City of Kent.Use City owned fire hydrant(s) only. City owned fire hydrants will be white in color and have an attached 2” round brass tag.
• Water from a fire hydrant is NOT intended for human consumption.
• Always open and close the fire hydrant SLOWLY.
• Always open and close the fire hydrant COMPLETELY. A gate valve (NO butterfly or 1/4 turn valves allowed) for throttling the flow is to be supplied by the user and installed on the outlet (hose side) of the meter/check valve assembly.
• All water drawn from the fire hydrant shall pass through the issued meter assembly.
• Always remove the meter and other hardware from the fire hydrant after each use and restore the fire hydrant to its original condition. Any apparatus left connected to the fire hydrant or left unattended will be confiscated by the City of Kent.
• Use only the wrenches provided by the Water Division to operate the fire hydrant. 
• Contact the Water Division immediately if a hydrant is found inoperable or becomes inoperable during use at 253-856-5600.

This is not a permit. 

This is handled through the Economic and Community Development Department at the City of Kent.  If you have questions about the process, you can reach them at 253-856-5490, or by emailing DevelopmentEngineering@KentWa.gov

Please contact Economic and Community Development for any questions relating to hydraulic modeling information, water rate flow, fire flow, rate of flow, certificate of fire flow, and information on how much water (in gallons) is available at a specific PSI in the roadway.

Certificate of Water Availability
(Standard form to identify properties where the City of Kent will provide water service outside its city limits)

Domestic, Industrial and Fire Protection Use

• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Chapter 2 – Water System Description
• Chapter 3 – Land Use and Population
• Chapter 4 – Water Demands
• Chapter 5 – Regulatory Requirements and Minimum Design Criteria
• Chapter 6 – Water Source and Quality
• Chapter 7 – Water System Analysis
• Chapter 8 – Operation and Maintenance Program
• Chapter 9 – Water System Improvements
• Chapter 10 – Financial Analysis

 Figures

• Existing Node Diagram Map Book
• Fig 2-1 Existing System
• Fig 2-2 Existing Hydraulic Profile
• Fig 2-3 Adjacent System
• Fig 2-4 Emergency Inserties
• Fig 3-1 Land Use
• Fig 7-1 Existing PHD Pressures
• Fig 7-2 Existing FF Availability
• Fig 7-3 20 YR FF Availability
• Fig 7-4 20 YR FF Satisfied
• Fig 9-1 CIP Priority WM and H
• Fig 9-2 CIP West WM and H
• Fig 9-3 CIP West 240 WH and H
• Fig 9-4 CIP Downtown WM and H
• Fig 9-5 CIP North 240 WM and H
• Fig 9-6 CIP East Hill North WM and H
• Fig 9-7 CIP East Hill South WM and H
• Fig 9-8 Proposed Hydraulic Profile
• Fig 9-9 CIP Water Main All
• Fig 9-10 CIP West Hill WM
• Fig 9-11 CIP West 240 WM
• Fig 9-12 CIP Downtown Water Main
• Fig 9-13 CIP North 240 WM
• Fig 9-14 CIP East Hill WM
• Fig 9-15 CIP East Hill South WM
• Fig 9-16 CIP All
• Fig 9-17 CIP West Hill All
• Fig 9-18 CIP West 240 All
• Fig 9-19 CIP Downtown All
• Fig 9-20 CIP North 240 All
• Fig 9-21 CIP East Hill All
• Fig 9-22 CIP East Hill South All

Coronavirus and Drinking Water

The quality of your drinking water is vital to the health of the Kent community, and we take our commitment to providing high quality water to our residents and businesses seriously. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. You can continue to use and drink water from the tap as usual. 

Your drinking water is safe. The City of Kent monitors our water supply and the quality of our water continuously, and we test it daily. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Public Works Water Utility at 253-856-5600. 

For additional information about the coronavirus and drinking water, visit www.EPA.gov/Coronavirus.

Guidance for Building Owners and Operators regarding Legionella and Building Water System Closures

What is Legionella? 

Legionella is a type of bacterium found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems. 

How are COVID-19 and Legionella related?

Many buildings are closed to the public or have limited use or access to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The resulting drop in building water use increases the risk for Legionella growth in building plumbing and associated equipment like cooling towers, pools, decorative fountains, hot tubs and other equipment. 

How can Legionella be prevented or eliminated in building water systems? 

To prevent Legionella growth, these systems must be actively managed and maintained during shutdown periods. Building owners and operators also need to implement well thought out start-up protocols to ensure public health protection. By implementing procedures now, building owners can protect the public and minimize the steps needed to safely reopen closed or partially closed facilities.

For additional information including detailed steps on how to protect a building that has had limited or no use during the coronavirus shutdown, download this detailed guide provided by the Washington State Department of Health.  

Additional Resources 

Recovering from COVID-19 Building Closures

Safe Management of Water Systems in Buildings During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Disinfection Data Integrity in Washington State

Emergency Disinfection of Small Water systems, Publication 331-242

Measuring Free Chlorine, Publication 331-442

Developing a Water Management Program to Reduce Legionella Growth and Spread in Buildings: A Practical Guide to Implementing Industry Standards

CDC – Coronavirus Disease 2019 – Guidance for Building Water Systems

OSHA Guidance for Workers for the Control and Prevention of Legionella

Homeowners and businesses are required by City Code to have a water shut-off valve at their building to use for repairs or plumbing changes.  If your building does not have a shut-off valve, you are advised to have one installed.

In the interim, call Customer Service at 253-856-5200 to request and schedule a water shut-off. You may be charged a fee for this service. In no event should you attempt to shut off the water service with the valve at your water meter as both are City property, and you will be charged for all damage you cause to the valve or meter.   

For water meters 3 inches and above in size please use the KentWorks portal to schedule your shut off.  If it is an emergency shut-off for a large meter please call 253-856-5600. 

If you do not know the size of your water meter you can contact our Utility Billing at 253-856-5200 or customerservice@kentwa.gov for assistance.

Do you know where the water supply shut off valve is in your home? Does everyone else in the family know where it is? If there’s an emergency, you’ll need to know in a hurry. You can’t afford to waste precious minutes searching while the basement floods or the carpets are drenched. These are the most likely locations: 

• Where the water supply pipe enters your home from the City-owned meter in the street/sidewalk
• Near your clothes washer hook-up
• Near your hot water heater
• In your garage 

Every home, apartment and business has a master water supply valve. To be sure you’ve found the right one, try turning it off briefly and see if all the water faucets in the building are shut off. If they aren’t, turn it back on and look for the master valve in another location. Once you’ve found the right valve, mark it with a tag, a bright ribbon or colorful paint. Make it easy to see, and keep it accessible. If the worst happens – and we hope it never does – you’ll have to find it quickly. 

Even when water meets state and federal standards, you may still object to its taste, smell or appearance. Other factors like water age and household plumbing can affect your water’s aesthetics as well. In any case, if you have any concerns about your water please let us know so we can come check it for you.  You can submit a service request for water quality concerns using our KentWorks portal.  

Taste, Odor or Discolored Water Concerns

To understand why your water may at times have a noticeable color, tint, odor or unusual taste, read the following explanations from our water experts.

• Yellow Water: Tests show increased levels of manganese and iron at certain times in the Green River water supply. Treating these contaminants with chemicals like chlorine and ozone causes these minerals to become visible by giving them a yellow tint. Drinking water rules list these minerals as “secondary” or aesthetic contaminants that can cause unpleasant appearance or taste. However, there are no known health effects at these levels, and it is safe to drink.

• Brown Water: Brown water is often caused by disturbances in a water main. For example, if a water main breaks or a fire hydrant is used in your area, it can stir up sediment that has settled at the bottom of the main. While it may look unsafe, the sediment contains river silt particles, which are harmless. If you experience this problem, avoid using any water for one or two hours.  If the water is still unclear after that please submit a request using the KentWorks portal or call us at 253-856-5600

• White or Cloudy Water: White or cloudy water is typically caused by tiny air bubbles trapped in the water. The bubbles can also cause a slightly metallic taste or odor. This is harmless and usually temporary. The taste and odor of water can vary throughout the year because of changing water sources (such as whether it came from a river or a well), seasonal algae in the Green River or fluctuating chlorine concentrations. Those slight variations are normal and harmless and not signs of unhealthy water.

• Rust-colored Water: Rust particles in your water may appear when we shut down water mains or when your property side water is turned off to make repairs. This may also occur when water in a home or business has not been used for extended periods, such as when you are away on vacation. With older water mains or galvanized property side plumbing systems, typically found in older homes, small or even large amounts of rust can break loose from the plumbing system upon restoring water flow, causing orange-brown water to appear when you turn on the tap.  Running the cold water for three minutes should solve the issue and provide clear water. Sometimes this problem goes on for several days before it clears up. We suggest periodically cleaning the aerators on your spigots to remove accumulated rust particles. As a regular precaution, use only clear water from the cold water tap for drinking and cooking.

• Sand and Grit: If you have sand-like particles or grit in your home plumbing, it is likely the result of rust particles and minerals dislodging from within galvanized or copper pipe. While the appearance of these deposits can be expected from time to time they can prematurely wear out your faucets. They will also accumulate in faucet aerators, so it is best to clean them periodically. If your washing machine is filling too slowly, you may have an accumulation of particles. To fix this, clean or replace the screen filters where the hot and cold water hoses enter the back of the machine.

• Blue Stains: Blue stains on fixtures can occur when water interacts with copper pipes, which are commonly used in newer plumbing systems. Copper dissolves into the water when water sits in the pipes overnight or is unused during the day.  To solve this, if the water has been sitting unused in the pipes for more than 6 hours run the water for about 30 seconds, or until there is a change in the water temperature or you smell chlorine. Keeping the fixtures dry and drip-free also helps prevent the problem.

• Pink Stains: Pink stains on fixtures, shower/sink drains, toilet bowls and pet dishes are usually caused by an airborne bacteria not associated with the drinking water. This bacteria thrives in damp areas so keeping the surfaces dry will help prevent this problem.  Bleach solutions have also been effective in removing the stains.

• Metallic Taste: Metallic-tasting water is usually associated with either yellow water or air bubbles in the water.

• Chlorine Taste or Odor: Chlorine taste and odor are the most common objections. We are required to keep a chlorine residual in the distribution system to protect it from contamination and to protect public health.  Letting a pitcher of water stand exposed to the air, or in the refrigerator, usually helps reduce the smell and taste of chlorine.  Normally, you will not even notice it.

• Earthy Taste and Odor:  You may occasionally notice an earthy taste or odor in our water, most often in July, August and September.  Water is stored in water reservoirs to provide an ample supply for high demand use and firefighting needs. During the summer months when temperatures are warmer, the water in reservoirs warm up as well. Warmer water usually has more objectionable tastes. Placing a pitcher of water in the refrigerator to cool it down helps reduce this problem.  

A good rule of thumb is to store one gallon of water per person per day, and you should plan for at least seven days. For example, a family of four should store about 28 gallons of water for a week’s supply.

People with special needs such as nursing mothers, young children and family members with illness may require more water. It is recommended that you replace the water every six months to ensure freshness. You should also avoid storing water in glass containers as they can easily be broken. 

First, check if the same particles are found in your toilet tank reservoir. If not, then the material usually comes from your hot water tank.

In your hot water tank, there's a white or blue plastic tube called a "dip tube." The dip tube delivers the cold water to the bottom of the tank closer to the heating element. Over time these tubes become brittle and begin to fall apart. When this happens, the particles are trapped by the screens in your aerator. You should contact the manufacturer about replacing the tubes.

You should also flush your hot water heater annually to remove any calcium or magnesium scale that has formed by the heating of the water. This is typically done by attaching a garden hose to the hose bib at the bottom of the tank and flushing it outside or into a sink for three to five minutes. If you have any concerns, submit a service request for water quality using our KentWorks portal.

Yes. When added or naturally present in the correct amounts, fluoride in drinking water has greatly improved the dental health of American consumers. The amount of fluoride added to your drinking water is maintained at the recommended level set by federal and state regulations (0.5–0.9 ppm). Consult your physician regarding fluoride supplements for children.

 For more information on fluoride in drinking water, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at CDC.gov/fluoridation. 

No. Water meters wear over time, and are sometimes under-read, but they do not over-read. Usage is tracked, and if an issue is detected, it is investigated and remedied.

Residential water service meters have a life span of 15-20 years, range in size from 5/8” to 2 inches. They are replaced as needed. Our larger meters, 3” and up, are inspected, recalibrated and repaired (when needed) on an annual basis. These larger meters are typically found in apartment buildings, industrial, and production-type facilities where larger volumes of water are consumed.

If you have a question about your water meter or usage readings, please contact our Customer Service Department at 253-856-5200. View more information on water utility rates.

Overall, water in the Pacific Northwest is of better quality than other areas of the United States and the world due to our frequent rainfall and cleaner environment. For those reasons and others, Kent has very good water. All public water systems across the country must follow federal drinking water guidelines that are established by the EPA Office of Drinking Water. There are approximately 155,000 public water systems in the United States.

To compare water quality statistics from a group this large would be daunting. For nationwide water quality information, visit http://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water.

The Public Works Operations Water Division handles concerns regarding the public water system for City of Kent.  Some of the common issues we respond to are:

• Water leak/Main break
• Water meter/PRV issue
• Water Pressure Issues
• Water Quality Issues
• Emergency Water Shut-off/Turn on Request
• No water to my building report
• Water Valve Cover - Open, Dislodged, Missing or Broken

You can report water issues, track service request progress and receive notification when service requests are resolved on our KentWorks portal.  

Please contact Utility Billing to confirm that the water account is current and to schedule your water to be turned back on.