City of Carnation, King County to break ground on milestone wastewater treatment plant project

Note to media: The Tolt River Bridge on SR-203 north of Carnation will be closed for construction from July 5-19, affecting travel routes to the ceremony. To avoid detours and traffic delays, we recommend getting to Carnation via 1-90 to Exit 22, and driving north through Preston and Fall City (directions below).

To mark the beginning of construction on a significant clean-water project that will replace Carnation's failing septic systems, protect public health and the environment, and revitalize the city's economy, local residents and dignitaries from around the region will join Carnation Mayor Bill Paulsen and King County Executive Ron Sims to break ground on the Carnation wastewater treatment system project:

Thursday, July 6
2:30-4 p.m.
Carnation treatment plant site
31500 Entwistle Street, Carnation

Scheduled speakers at the event are Carnation Mayor Bill Paulsen; King County Executive Ron Sims; King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert; and U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert.

The City of Carnation contracted with King County in 2002 to build a new treatment plant after county and state health department officials declared the city's failing septic systems a serious public health hazard.

When it comes online in 2008, the new treatment plant will improve the environment, protect groundwater and the Snoqualmie River, and allow new homes and businesses to be built within the city's urban growth area.

King County was selected to lead the project because of its expertise in successfully building and operating wastewater treatment facilities. King County will build the treatment plant, and the City of Carnation will build the collection system that will link homes and businesses to the new plant.

The partnership between King County and City of Carnation also included extensive stakeholder involvement with community groups, environmental groups, elected officials at the local, state and national levels, tribal governments, and community members.

Also invited to the groundbreaking ceremony are state and local elected officials and tribal government representatives; local agency and jurisdiction staff; environmental and community groups; project consultants and contractors; and interested residential and business neighbors.

The state-of-the-art treatment plant will treat up to 500,000 gallons of wastewater a day with advanced membrane bioreactor technology. The use of membrane bioreactor technology will also allow for expanded use of reclaimed water that can be used for irrigation and wetland enhancement. The highly treated water from the treatment plant will be discharged to a wetland in the Chinook Bend Natural Area, which will be beneficial for wildlife habitat.

The new treatment plant will serve about 2,000 people in Carnation's urban growth area, with capacity to eventually serve up to 4,000 as the city grows. Current growth forecasts indicate the increased capacity would be needed by about 2017. For more information about the project, please visit:

http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/carnation/index.htm

People enjoy clean water and a healthy environment because of King County's wastewater treatment program. The county's Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and water quality by serving 17 cities, 17 local sewer utilities and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional clean-water agency now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for more than 40 years.