New information available about Carnation treatment plant project

King County has issued an addendum to the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Carnation wastewater treatment plant project.

The addendum includes revised information about a proposal to discharge reclaimed water from the new plant to enhance wetlands at the Chinook Bend Natural Area and eliminate invasive plant species in the wetlands.

The information in the addendum does not substantially change the analysis of significant impacts and alternatives in the final EIS.

After the Carnation EIS was issued in 2004, King County partnered with the non-profit conservation group Ducks Unlimited to help complete design and engineering on a wetland discharge project at the Chinook Bend Natural Area, which is located about a mile north of the city of Carnation in unincorporated King County. The 59-acre property is owned by King County and managed as an open space and habitat protection area.

Under the revised proposal, the new Carnation treatment plant would begin discharging reclaimed water to Chinook Bend Natural Area wetlands in late 2008. This would become the primary discharge location for reclaimed water from the Carnation treatment plant.

An outfall at the Snoqualmie River at Carnation Farm Road Bridge would remain operational, but used only when maintenance or equipment problems at the treatment plant prevented the facility from producing Class A reclaimed water.

Copies of the addendum and general project information can be found on the Web at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/carnation/index.htm or by calling 206-263-5212, toll-free 1-800-325-6165, ext. 35212 or 711 TTY.

There is no formal public comment period for this addendum.

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 protect public health and the environment and allow the building of new homes and businesses within the city's urban growth area.

The state-of-the-art treatment plant will treat up to 500,000 gallons of wastewater a day with advanced membrane bioreactor technology.

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.