Council seeks to reduce energy consumption at West Point Treatment Plant

Gas by-products turned from waste into energy

With a goal to bring down energy costs and reduce King County’s carbon footprint, the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously accepting a report on the Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD)’s efforts to reduce power consumption, negotiate more favorable terms with energy suppliers, and explore co-generation of power at the West Point Treatment Plant. The report, generated in response to a Council requirement in the 2008 budget, was adopted at the Council’s April 14 meeting.

“This legislation demonstrates the county's willingness to look within for local climate change solutions,” said Councilmember Jane Hague, chair of the Council’s Utilities and Parks Committee. “This project is one of many we are pursuing in order to ‘walk the talk’ regarding the important role energy efficiency plays in improving our environment.”

“The Council asked staff to reduce energy consumption at the West Point Treatment Plant because conserving energy benefits both the environment and ratepayer’s wallets,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, whose district includes the West Point Plant. “I’m pleased that the Wastewater Treatment Division responded to our request with creative solutions and a commitment to harnessing wastewater gases as an energy source.”

The WTD currently spends $9 million annually for electricity at its treatment plants and other facilities. Through a variety of power-reducing activities such as improvements to lighting, compressors, and building climate control systems, King County has saved approximately $1 million per year at these facilities since 2001.

The South and West Point Treatment Plants have also employed co-generation facilities that use digester gas to turn waste into energy that can be reused at the site. The West Point co-generation facility was retired in 2007 because the equipment had reached the end of its useful life. The report adopted by the Council outlines how the old facility will be replaced so that digester gas is once again available to partially offset energy consumption at West Point.

The report also outlines further steps WTD will be taking to reduce power consumption such as developing and implementing a division-wide energy plan, hiring a full-time energy program manager, and creating a division-wide energy team.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system. Type in “2008-0129”