Turn on the shower in two Highlands homes a few blocks apart and the pressure can feel different. Since June 23, 2026, the neighborhood has had two water service levels, set by a line on a City map. Houses in one area got their old high pressure back. Houses in the other stayed at the lower standard pressure the City moved everyone to in 2024.
For buyers and sellers, that line matters more than the age of the faucets. The zone tells you which plumbing equipment should be in the house and which paperwork belongs in the file. In the higher-pressure zone, a missing valve can damage plumbing and appliances. In the lower-pressure zone, the owner has a City rebate deadline of December 31, 2026.
How one neighborhood ended up with two pressures
Before 2024, the Highlands had its own high-pressure zone, which the City calls the 510 zone. A single pipe installed in 1942 fed it, according to a Cherish Kirkland recap of the September 15, 2026 council meeting. The City's August 2, 2026 staff memo says that zone had the City's most widespread fire flow deficiencies.
In 2024, as part of the NE 85th Street Water Main Replacement Project, the City converted the area to the standard 450 zone. Hydrants meeting the City's minimum fire flow standard went from about 7% to more than 92%. The memo says the change also lowered water pressure across the Highlands, and homes at the highest elevations felt it most. According to the memo, the main group asking for the old pressure back was roughly 178 properties above 335 feet in elevation.
The City's fix came in two stages. Kar-vel Construction installed two check-valve stations on 116th Avenue NE, one near Forbes Creek Park and one at NE 95th Street. Another City contractor then installed a temporary regional booster pump station near Forbes Creek Park. The City restored pressure on June 23, 2026, to homes in what its Highlands Water Pressure Conversion page shows as the pink zone. Homes in the gray zone stay at the 450 gradient.
The City shows the boundary only on its map, so look up any address you're considering on the map itself. A street name alone won't tell you the zone.
Why the zone decides what to check
The two zones lead to different questions during a sale.
| Pink zone, 510 gradient | Gray zone, 450 gradient | |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure since June 23, 2026 | Restored to pre-2024 levels | Unchanged at the standard level |
| Main equipment question | Is there a working pressure-reducing valve? | Was a booster pump or plumbing upgrade installed? |
| City rebate deadline | Passed June 30, 2026 | December 31, 2026 |
| Paperwork to request | Valve inspection or replacement records | Rebate approval, booster pump install and permit records |
The pink zone's issue is too much pressure
The City says many homes had pressure over 80 psi before the 2024 conversion, high enough to need an individual pressure-reducing valve, or PRV. Once pressure dropped, some of those owners may have removed or disabled their PRVs. Before the June increase, the City told pink-zone residents to reinstall or inspect their valves and warned that skipping this could damage the home.
The City's PRV FAQ says high pressure can cause leaks, stress pipes and wear out water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines early. The same FAQ says a PRV is usually a bell- or dome-shaped device on the main water line, near where the line enters the house. Look in a basement, crawl space, garage or mechanical room.
High pressure in the pink zone isn't limited to a few homes. In the staff memo's modeling for the permanent fix, about 42% of the restored zone would be above 80 psi during peak-hour demand. In a pink-zone house, a strong shower can mean the valve isn't doing its job. The question is whether a PRV is in place and working.
The gray zone's issue is the deadline
Gray-zone homes kept the lower pressure. The City has offered a rebate for plumbing upgrades or a pressure booster pump if an owner's pressure dropped because of the conversion. Upgrades must be pre-approved and installed by December 31, 2026. Resolution R-5697, passed October 21, 2025, set December 31, 2026 as the application cutoff. It ties eligibility to homeowners and businesses living at an affected Highlands property as of March 31, 2024.
That eligibility date matters if a house is listed this winter. A seller who was living in the home on March 31, 2024 may still qualify. A buyer who closes after the cutoff won't have the same option through this program. A gray-zone seller on the fence about a booster pump has about nine weeks left from this post's publication date. R-5697 notes that the Council approved $400,000 for the assistance program in the 2025–26 biennial budget. The City documents don't list per-household rebate amounts, so contact the City for current figures.
The temporary fix has an end date, and the permanent one is years away
The Forbes Creek Park booster was always temporary. Cherish Kirkland reports that the state Department of Health approved the station only on the condition that a permanent solution would follow.
On September 15, 2026, the council voted 5–0 for Alternative 1. It restores the high-pressure zone to the upper Highlands only and replaces the aging water main on 116th Avenue NE, according to Cherish Kirkland's recap. The estimated cost is $8.7 million, or about $8.1 million if the City reuses equipment from the temporary setup. The memo adds $6.96 million of new money to the 2027–2032 capital plan on top of $1.14 million left in the existing project budget.
The City signed a Phase 1 design agreement with Consor on September 18, 2026. It targets February 2027 for final water main design in the NE 87th Street and 116th Avenue NE mini-roundabout area, and Fall 2027 for the full design package. The City's presentation estimates 24 to 30 months to carry out Alternative 1. The plan is to return to council for a construction contract, then shut down the temporary booster once the permanent gravity-based system is running.
For a buyer, this matters in two ways. Construction is likely on and around 116th Avenue NE over the next few years. And the pink-zone boundary is not expected to shift. When Deputy Mayor Black asked whether any homes would be surprised by higher pressure under the permanent fix, staff said no, because the permanent zone has the same footprint as the temporary one, Cherish Kirkland reported. A pink-zone home today should stay a pink-zone home.
A peer reviewer raised one concern about the approved plan. About 70 homes with residential fire sprinklers would sit outside the restored zone. Earlier in 2026, the City offered free voluntary testing of in-home sprinkler systems to eligible homes. If a Highlands home has sprinklers, ask the seller whether it was tested.
Where the seller disclosure form fits
Washington's seller disclosure statement for improved residential property is set by RCW 64.06.020. Its water section asks about the water source, whether there are "any problems or repairs needed," and whether there are "any defects in the operation of the water system (e.g. pipes, tank, pump, etc.)." A separate question covers defects in the "Plumbing system, including pipes, faucets, fixtures, and toilets." The form doesn't use the words "water pressure." The version quoted here is in effect until January 1, 2027, so check the current text for any sale closing in the new year.
Because the form doesn't ask about pressure directly, the Highlands zone history often has to come up in conversation. Buyers and sellers can cover it with a short list of requests during the transaction.
- Look up the address on the City's zone map and note pink or gray.
- In the pink zone, ask whether a PRV is installed, when it was last inspected and whether it was removed or disabled after 2024.
- In the gray zone, ask whether the owner applied for the City rebate, and get the pre-approval and installation records for any booster pump.
- If the home has fire sprinklers, ask whether it was in the City's 2026 testing program.
- Ask a licensed plumber or inspector to check the pressure at the house.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Confirm disclosure duties and rebate eligibility for your own sale with a real estate attorney and the City of Kirkland's project staff.
FAQ
Does the gray zone get high pressure under the permanent fix? No. Alternative 1 restores the high-pressure zone to the upper Highlands only, the same area the temporary pink zone covers now.
Who maintains a home's pressure-reducing valve? The City's PRV FAQ says the homeowner does.
Can a pink-zone owner still get the rebate? The City's posted pink-zone deadline was June 30, 2026. The gray-zone deadline is December 31, 2026.
Who answers project questions at the City? The project page lists Senior Project Engineer Maria Mikulak as the contact.
If you're buying or selling in the Highlands and want help putting the zone, valve and rebate records together before a listing or an inspection, call or email Yang Xiao for a free local market consultation.
