Bothell area cleanup

In 2006, the City of Bothell embarked on an ambitious plan to transform its downtown area. A big part of that plan is cleaning up soil and groundwater contamination left behind by gas stations, vehicle maintenance facilities, and dry cleaners over the past 100 years.

We’re working with the city to prioritize and provide funding for six sites we oversee in the historic downtown area. We also oversee 14 more sites in the broader area, and provide technical help for 10 others through our Voluntary Cleanup Program.

The Bothell Cleanup and Revitalization fact sheet summarizes the status of each site as of 2021.

Grant-funded cleanups

The City of Bothell aims to create a pedestrian-friendly, clean, green downtown area that serves as a gateway to the Bothell area. However, historical business and industry in the area left contamination that could pose risks to people’s health and the health of the nearby Sammamish River. Cleanup was needed to protect the public and environment from contamination before properties could be redeveloped.

The city applied for and received Ecology Oversight Remedial Action Grants for six sites in the historic downtown area to clean up some of the area's contaminated sites.

Drag the slider to see the changes to downtown Bothell. Click the dots or read below for information on specific cleanup sites.

Bothell Landing

Before: A parking lot with a strip of buildings. During construction: a white fabric barrier is placed over contamination and capped with clean gravel.

When the city started to develop Rotunda Park, they found five abandoned underground storage tanks from a previous gas station. This site was contaminated with petroleum from the underground tanks and solvents from the nearby Ultra Custom Care Cleaners site. Contaminated soil was excavated and capped under the roadways. Environmental covenants restrict access to the soil and groundwater.

Ecology grant funding: $191,700

Bothell Landing cleanup webpage

Bothell Paint & Decorating

Clean dirt backfilled over the site excavation. Intersection in background.

This site used to have fuel, auto repair, paint, and sandblasting businesses. Soil was contaminated with petroleum from an underground storage tank. Sandblasting left metals in the shallow soil.

Contaminated soil was removed, except for a portion under SR 522. Institutional controls will be put on the property to keep people from disturbing the contamination.

Ecology grant funding: $60,750

Bothell Paint & Decorating cleanup webpage

Bothell Service Center Simon & Son

Pipes in a parking lot are the visible part of a cleanup system. — Parts of the Soil Vapor Extraction system used to remove contamination in 2019.

A dry cleaning business and gas station at this site contaminated the soil and groundwater. A Cleanup Action Plan is complete and cleanup has started.

Ecology grant funding: $4,050,000

Bothell Service Center Simon & Son cleanup webpage

Bothell Former Hertz

A flat-roofed, one-story building and parking lot, then a pit about 15 feet deep — The former Hertz site before and during cleanup.

This was a rental car dealership. The buildings were demolised to make way for a new section of State Route 522. Leaking underground storage tanks contaminated the soil with petroleum, which has been cleaned up.

The groundwater was contaminated with petroleum and also vinyl chloride and solvents. A lot of that contamination seems to be coming from the Bothell Service Center Simon & Son site next door, which is being cleaned up. Groundwater here will be monitored to see if cleaning up the neighboring site and natural processes solve the problem.

Ecology grant funding: $32,400

Bothell Former Hertz cleanup webpage

The Former Riverside property is now considered two separate cleanup sites, because there are two distinct areas with different types of contamination.

Ecology grant funding: $1,362,074 over both sites

Former Riverside TPH

Cleanup actions are complete at the TPH site. The city excavated soil that was contaminated with petroleum from a former gas station.

Bothell Riverside TPH cleanup webpage

Former Riverside HVOC

An Agreed Order, Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study, and draft Cleanup Action Plan are available for public comment November 21 – December 22, 2022. Visit the Bothell Riverside HVOC cleanup webpage for more information.

Ultra Custom Care Cleaners

Old stripmall with dry cleaners, hair salon, and laundromat

This site used to have a dry cleaning business. Soil and groundwater are contaminated with the cleaning solvent tetrachloroethylene ("perc" or "PCE").

The Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study and Cleanup Action Plan documents are finalized. The City will now perform the cleanup described in the Cleanup Action Plan.

Ecology grant funding: $835, 875

Ultra Custom Care Cleaners cleanup page

Other cleanups in downtown Bothell

We oversee 14 more sites in the area that have not receieved grant funding. Ten other sites are being cleaned up independently by property owners, with technical help provided through our Voluntary Cleanup Program. These property cleanups protect human health and the environment, but they also enhance economic growth and make properties more marketable.

Contact information

Meredith Waldref
Outreach specialist
425-229-3683
meredith.waldref@ecy.wa.gov

Sunny Becker
Site Manager
425-457-3842
sunny.becker@ecy.wa.gov