Posted on May 13, 2026
The Jubilee stormwater ponds in Lacey, which are plagued by failed liners and eroded slopes, are now headed for a full restoration.
The Lacey City Council voted unanimously to award a $437,717 contract to Miken Dirtworx LLC (an excavation firm) for repair work. The council made the decision at a meeting on May 5.
The excavation firm ranked lowest among 11 bidders, well below the engineer’s estimate of $559,470. As detailed in the city’s bid summary, bids were as high as $789,044.67.
According to Utility Engineer David Knox, three ponds fall under the contract. Two wet ponds occupy opposite ends of the Jubilee area, with a stormwater infiltration pond nestled between them.
The contractor is going to replace the liners with fabricated materials, dredge accumulated sediment and regrade eroded slopes when work kicks off in June. Inlet improvements at the infiltration pipes are also part of the work.
Responding to Council member Nicolas Dunning’s question on liner lifespan, Public Works Director Scott Egger said the older clay liner variety typically brake down faster. The fabricated replacements are expected to last considerably longer, though no specific figure was mentioned.
Council member Lenny Greenstein questioned why the city still owned the ponds at all. Most homeowners associations (HOAs) in comparable neighborhoods, he noted, manage their own stormwater infrastructure from the outset.
Egger acknowledged the arrangement was unusual, saying most stormwater ponds in comparable developments pass to HOA control early on. The circumstances behind Jubilee’s current ownership were not detailed during the meeting.
“It’s an anomaly,” Egger said. “We’re in discussions with Jubilee to take these over.”
After the restoration wraps up, ownership of the ponds transfers to the Jubilee HOA, Knox said. The project is funded through the city’s 2026 stormwater capital budget.
