Operations Maintenance

Operations-Maintenance

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has employed various strategies for O&M of our vegetated systems (i.e., containing living plants) since our program began in 1999. Initial projects relied heavily on homeowners to provide or supplement City maintenance. For any system installed by the City, SPU’s minimum duty is to ensure system functionality. Property owners next to the system are encouraged to maintain the system for additional visual appeal.

SPU Operations and Maintenance by the City

Minimum system functionality is defined as “Level of Service D” in the SPU O&M manual below. Drainage performance goals increased the City’s commitment to “Level of Service B” for some projects. The following O&M packet components are used by SPU staff to identify and track O&M activities.

Operations and Maintenance by Property owners

For the High Point project, SPU and the Seattle Housing Authority have a Memorandum of Agreement to maintain the landscape using the following guidelines.

High Point Landscape Maintenance Guidelines (pdf)

Operations and Maintenance by Homeowners

As a means to encourage homeowner participation, the City of Seattle developed the following materials.