News & Events

Resource Conservation News and Eventsunderline


Got Food Scraps?
Smaller Food/Yard Waste Containers Now Available!


Acceptable items in the cart include:

• Food-soiled paper such as pizza boxes and paper towels
• Plant and yard debris such as floral trimmings or branches
• NO plastic bags, liquids or glass.


Cooking?  Why not recycle that used cooking oil?





Underground Wells Supply 30-40% of Redmond’s Drinking Water

As you walk around downtown Redmond, it’s easy to overlook one of the downtown area’s best-kept secrets: underneath your feet is a water source that supplies 30-40% of the city’s drinking water. This underground water supply, or “aquifer,” is a vital community asset and will continue in importance as the city pursues environmentally sustainable growth.

Located beneath City Center and extending east towards Novelty and Union Hill, Redmond’s aquifer starts only 5 to15 feet below the surface. To access it, Redmond operates five shallow municipal wells that pump between 3 and 5 million gallons of clean groundwater from it daily. This water is then delivered to homes and businesses in Redmond and portions of King County, serving as a valuable resource that makes Redmond’s water rates among the lowest on the Eastside.

At the same time that our aquifer makes the city unique, particular challenges exist to keeping it clean. This is because the aquifer is replenished partially by stormwater (rainwater that comes into contact with hard surfaces, such as pavement, and runs off). If the stormwater has picked up oil, grease, fertilizers or other pollutants that are improperly stored or handled, it can transport some of these below ground as it seeps or “infiltrates” into the aquifer. A contaminated aquifer would mean years before Redmond’s water could be useable again.

The City of Redmond, its residents and businesses are already taking action to prevent pollution. Under the Wellhead Protection Ordinance, construction sites implement specific protection standards, and businesses are reducing the amount of chemicals they store, use and handle onsite with assistance of City staff. Additionally, the City monitors the quality and quantity of water in the aquifer through nearly 100 monitoring wells to look for early signs of potential contamination. Through these and many other actions, Redmond can maintain clean, reliable drinking water for years to come.

Redmond Businesses Recognized for Recycling



Want more information on native plants?

Visit these great sites:

King County Go Native
Washington Native Plant Society 




Green Redmond Partnership




Volunteer Opportunities for the Environmentunderline
