Year in review - 2003

• Preparing for the future
• Operating efficiently
• Recycling, reclaiming, reusing
• Cleaning up the environment
• Becoming "the best"

Preparing for the future

Siting the Brightwater Treatment Plant

In December 2003, the County Executive announced his decision for siting Brightwater, a new treatment facility to serve the growing population in south Snohomish County and north King County.

The decision came after years of studies, environmental review, and discussions with citizens and businesses. The County Executive decided the best place to locate a wastewater treatment plant is at the Route 9 site in unincorporated Snohomish County north of Woodinville. It will include a pipeline along Northeast 195th Street and the King/Snohomish County line, and an outfall in Puget Sound off Point Wells.

The new plant will feature state-of-the-art technologies, including odor control and membrane treatment technology. It will be designed to treat up to 36 million gallons of sewage daily from north King County and south Snohomish County. This capacity will relieve the current pressure on King County 's two other regional facilities.

Treating wastewater for Carnation residents

In 2003, the City of Carnation contracted with King County to build and operate a wastewater treatment facility to serve Carnation residents and businesses now on individual septic systems.

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Operating efficiently

• Reducing infiltration and inflow. In 2003, WTD worked with cities and local sewer districts on pilot projects to evaluate how best to reduce clean water that enters the wastewater system through cracked pipes, storm drains, and manholes. Extra water in the system reduces capacity, increases costs and can lead to overflows. Employees also tested and bought new closed-circuit television equipment to inspect pipes for damage before leaks and breaks occur.
• Earning treatment plant awards of excellence. In 2003, both WTD's large regional treatment plants earned national awards for continued excellence in their day-to-day performance. The West Point plant received the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Association's Gold Award, and South Treatment Plant joined just 25 other treatment plants across the country in receiving a Platinum Award for five consecutive years of excellence.
• Taking care of facilities. Historically WTD has taken very good care of its many facilities and extensive equipment. In 2003, WTD developed a program to ensure it continues to maintain and repair its assets in keeping with best management practices.
• Building a storage tunnel for wastewater. A project to protect Lake Washington reached an important milestone when tunnel boring was completed for a 4 million gallon wastewater storage and treatment tunnel in South Seattle.

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Recycling, reclaiming, reusing

• Using biosolids in agriculture, forestry, landscaping. The wastewater treatment process produces byproducts, and WTD seeks opportunities to recycle them in beneficial ways. The solid byproduct of treated wastewater, biosolids, was used in agriculture, soil enhancement, compost, and landscaping.
• Recycling methane, water. WTD continued to use recycled water and turn methane into energy to help offset some operating costs at the treatment plants. Recycled water was also used for irrigation and industrial uses in south King County .
• Building fuel cell power plant for digester gas. In 2003, construction began for the world's largest single-unit demonstration project of a molten-carbonate fuel cell power plant at the South Treatment Plant. The fuel cell will use digester gas to produce electricity that will be used at the plant or sold.

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Cleaning up the environment

The Industrial Waste Program worked with both large and small businesses to keep harmful wastes from entering our regional waters. Their efforts earned a Clean Water Act Recognition Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Becoming "the best"

WTD completed its second full year of the 10-year Productivity Initiative Pilot Plan in 2003. The Pilot Plan is an initiative to become "the best" by applying certain practices used in the private sector to promote efficiencies and superior service delivery in the wastewater operations program.

Since the program began, WTD employees reduced operating costs by more than $10 million by rethinking traditional ways of doing business.

At the direction of the County Executive, in 2003 WTD studied ways to extend the success of the Pilot Plan to the capital and asset management parts of the wastewater program.