Year in review - 2005  What we do
In 1958, King County voters set the wheels in motion to create a regional wastewater treatment system that would protect Puget Sound and the area's lakes and rivers. South Treatment Plant, located in Renton, and West Point Treatment Plant, in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, began operations in 1965 and 1966, respectively. Now, as the region's two treatment plants turn 40, King County is recognized as an innovative leader in implementing wastewater treatment technologies and creating resources from the wastewater treatment process.
Moving beyond 'waste' King County citizens were forward-thinking in the 1950s, but couldn't have envisioned the shift from 'wastewater' to 'resource' that would take place a half-century later. In 2005, King County's regional plants reused the disinfected water used in the treatment process for non-drinking water purposes, such as landscape irrigation. South Plant also provided a small amount of reclaimed water to local industrial users for heating and cooling. 
Both plants recycle the organic Biosolids that result from the wastewater treatment process as a soil amendment, an ingredient in compost, and in agriculture and forestry applications. In 2005, King County recycled 100 percent of its biosolids in an environmentally beneficial manner.
South Treatment Plant operates one of the world's largest fuel-cell power projects to generate electricity from methane gas, and has a co-generation system that uses methane to produce power for the plant and recover heat. Almost all of the methane produced at the treatment plants is sold or reused. West Point Plant also uses the methane gas it captures to power its generators and pumps. >> back to top Planning for growth In 2005, significant progress was made in planning for Brightwater, a new regional treatment plant, to serve growth in the north and east parts of King County and portions of southern Snohomish County. The plant will produce enough reclaimed water to provide Sammamish Valley users with water for irrigation and other purposes when it comes online in 2010.
In June, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted a permit under the federal Clean Water Act (external link) that cleared the way for construction of the Brightwater plant to proceed. Staff completed a system-wide mitigation package by reaching formal agreements with jurisdictions, tribal governments, agencies and utilities throughout the region. The first contract for the Brightwater conveyance system has been awarded, and construction is scheduled to begin in early 2006. In 2005 the division also completed design for a smaller treatment facility to serve the City of Carnation. Construction is expected to be completed in 2006. Later, highly treated effluent from the plant will be used to enhance wetlands at the Chinook Bend natural area. Work also progressed to upgrade the treatment facility that serves Vashon Island. >> back to top Protecting the public's investment In 2005, the division continued to protect the public's investment in the pipes, pump stations and other facilities that collect wastewater and convey it to treatment plants.  Two major combined sewer overflow control projects, at Denny Way/Lake Union and in Seattle's Rainier neighborhood, were completed mid-year. The projects are important steps forward in a decade-long effort to limit sewer overflows that occur during rainy weather when stormwater is combined with wastewater and overwhelms the wastewater system.
The Industrial Waste Program continued its work with both large and small businesses to prevent harmful wastes from entering our regional waters and help make our biosolids safe for recycling. The division was successful in securing two Environmental Protection Agency grants for projects at both regional plants. Low-interest loans were also secured from the Washington State Department of Ecology for upgrades to the Vashon plant and combined sewer overflow control projects. Other funding opportunities are being pursued for constructing parts of Brightwater, the Carnation facility, and other combined sewer overflow control projects. >> back to top Striving for excellence, day in and day out  In 2005, both King County's regional treatment plants were awarded Peak Performance Gold Awards from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for achieving 100-percent compliance with the county's discharge permits.
NACWA also awarded the Wastewater Treatment Division's management team an “Excellence in Management” award in recognition of “successful initiatives that address the wide range of management challenges facing public wastewater utilities in today's competitive environment.” The Productivity Initiative, an innovative program that provides financial incentives for employees to achieve better-than-promised savings targets, resulted in planned savings to ratepayers of more than $9 million in 2005, bringing the total savings to ratepayers under the five-year-old program to more than $25 million. >> back to top Outlook The division's 2006 priorities include:
- Continuing the financial practices that enabled the county to keep 2006 rates at 2005 levels and maintain King County's “Triple-A” bond rating from all three major rating agencies.
- Expanding the Productivity Initiative to more aspects of the capital program.
- Initiating a “business case evaluation” process in managing assets to ensure the division is doing the right project, at the right time, for the right price.
- Continuing to work with communities to ensure that management of construction projects is sensitive to public concerns.
- Developing a reclaimed water strategy as a part of a regional water supply plan for King County.
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