Founded in 1931, North City Water District (formerly King County Water District No. 42 then Shoreline Water District) currently serves approximately 25,000 people within the cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, covering a roughly 5 square mile area. As a public water district, we operate independently from the City of Shoreline, Washington.

The District is governed by a three member Board of Commissioners elected by the voters in our specific service area.  We employ a variety of professional staff including civil engineers, accountants, operations personnel, and administrative staff, all overseen by a District Manager.

What We Do

Our Mission:
To provide high quality drinking water to our community in a manner that promotes conservation, maintains customers’ trust and protects their financial investment in the District.

Manage Water Supply: 
North City Water District is focused on nothing but water, 365 days a year.  We monitor its quality, maintain its distribution infrastructure, establish infrastructure requirements for new developments, and work with the local community on everything from planning and permitting, to updated appliances.

Maintain Infrastructure: 
We continuously monitor the condition of all pipes, pump stations, supply stations, and reservoirs, replacing older or undersized pipes and adding new pipes and related infrastructure as needed.  When emergencies arise (such as a broken water main), we’re the ones to call to get the job handled.

Sponsor Community Events:
North City Water District enjoys being a part of our community’s traditions and events, including sponsoring the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, participating in Celebrate Shoreline Parade and related functions, and co-sponsoring the annual car show at the District office each summer.
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Provide Education: 
Wherever possible, we seek to provide the community with information about water-related topics that make a difference – ranging from water conservation methods such as energy efficient appliances and low flow toilets, to helpful home repairs and winterization advice.

Encourage Conservation: 
North City Water District actively promotes water conservation, offering ideas, advice and discount programs on new appliances, toilets, or irrigation systems. As a result, our region uses less water today than the early 1960s, even though population has grown by more than 60% during this same time.

How We Operate

Prior to our name change in January 2014, one of the most common misconceptions about North City Water District was that we were affiliated with the City of Shoreline. We are not, and never have been. One of the primary reasons we changed our name was to help residents of Shoreline understand that we are a separate entity, and to reflect the diverse neighborhoods we serve (which include portions of Lake Forest Park).

So what are we? North City Water District is a “Special Purpose District.”

This designation means we serve a special purpose (in our case, water) rather than a general purpose (such as city or county management), which allows us to remain focused on the one thing that we do best: providing water in the most efficient manner possible, and for the most reasonable price.

How does having a Special Purpose Water District benefit customers? Four ways: 1) no additional  “City utility taxes”  will ever be imposed; 2) no added costs will be passed along for a second tier of management; 3) all dollars collected in the form of rates and fees are only ever applied to maintaining the water system; and 4) only individuals who are experts in water are making decisions about water – resulting in the most knowledgeable, timely and efficient water management approach.

Key Staff

• Diane Pottinger, PE, District Manager (at left)
•  Patty Hale, President  (above right)
• Ron Ricker, Vice President (above middle)
• Charlotte Haines,  Secretary (above left)