Reclaimed water & biosolids demonstration garden

The research and demonstration garden at South Treatment Plant helps showcase beneficial use of our wastewater resources.

Background

New garden for 2011 We are excited to have a team from Seattle University's Environmental Studies Program helping with the garden this year. Sustainable Urban Agriculture   Students and faculty from Seattle University have also converted unused land at South Plant into an urban farm. They will explore sustainable urban farming practices and provide public education on benefits of using wastewater resources, in addition to providing produce to local food banks.

King County has been producing Class A reclaimed water since 1997 and exceptional quality biosolids compost since 1976. At our treatment plants, we are constantly recycling important resources that enhance our ability to conserve fresh water, save energy, reduce runoff pollution, and decrease effluent into our water bodies.

Research Garden

University of Washington researchers have worked with us for over three decades to evaluate effectiveness and safety of our resources. The reclaimed water and biosolids garden at South Treatment Plant was created in 2009, offering an opportunity to continue greenhouse research that began in 2008. In September of 2009, we held a luncheon where the results of the research were shared with potential customers and interested parties while they sampled food grown in the garden. The garden also won the Northwest Biosolids Management Association's 'Golden Gourd award' [external link] award in 2009. A second luncheon in 2010 focused on how to use compost in community gardens.