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SPU’s RV Wastewater Pump-Out Pilot Program Partners with Public Health – Seattle King County to Offer COVID-19 Vaccinations

As a public utility, SPU values community health & safety. During COVID-19, our teams have increased innovative essential services for our unhoused neighbors.

SPU’s RV Wastewater Pump-Out Pilot program started in spring 2020 and provides increased access to reliable wastewater services which help prevent spills. In 2021 alone (as of 6/30/21), staff have already provided 738 mobile RV waste pumping services directly to RVs across Seattle and partnered with outreach providers. 

Through June, 2021, SPU’s RV Pump-Out team, in partnership with Public Health – Seattle King County (PHSKC), offered COVID-19 vaccines as an added service to clients across 16 locations citywide, providing more than 40 vaccinations.  

Pictured here, Erika Fardig, a nurse with PHSKC, meeting with a client receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

“Our partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County to help deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to Seattle’s RV residents is a great example of synergy in action. By leveraging our outreach capabilities and the trust we’ve established within this community, our partners at  PHSKC are able to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to some of our City’s most vulnerable and hard to reach community members in a safe and timely manner,” said SPU Wastewater Pilot Program Coordinator, Chris Wilkerson. “Together, our impact is far greater than either of us could achieve on our own.” 

In addition to vaccination and pump-out services, through access to hygiene services via shower trailers, SPU has provided an estimated 34,397 showers as of July 9, 2021. And SPU’s Purple Bag program provides consistent and dependable trash removal services for people living unhoused. 

Still need to receive your COVID-19 vaccine? Find a vaccination location near you – https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/covid-19/vaccine/distribution.aspx