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Department of Ecology News Release - June 4, 2009
09-129
OLYMPIA – Wastewater treatment plant operations just keep getting better in Washington to the benefit of citizens and clean water.
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) found 92 wastewater (sewer) treatment plants in the state had perfect track records in 2008. This amounts to nearly one-third of the state's treatment plants, a sharp rise from 78 plants that earned the honor in 2007.
The award-winning plants passed all environmental tests, analyzed all samples, turned in all state-required reports and avoided permit violations during 2008.
The perfect-performing plants are located in 30 of Washington's 39 counties. Nineteen of the plants discharge their treated water into Puget Sound.
“This clean water success is a reflection of Washington's ongoing financial investments to help communities build and upgrade wastewater treatment plants, a strong certification program that keeps plant operators well trained, and the skills and dedication of the operators,” said Kelly Susewind, manager of Ecology's water quality program.
In the state's new budget, Ecology will award nearly $108.7 million for wastewater treatment facility projects across the state in 2010. This funding helps pay for new construction and upgrades to plants. Nearly half of this funding comes from federal stimulus dollars.
Representatives from Ecology will present “Outstanding Performance Awards” to the wastewater treatment plant operators at public events in the coming weeks.
“These treatment plants do the heavy lifting for clean water in Puget Sound and across the state,” Susewind said. “Our growing population puts more pressure on these facilities every day.”
Small facilities typically perform at least 60 laboratory tests per month on the treated wastewater. A larger facility may perform well over 120 analyses per month. “With the number of tests these plant operators must perform, there is a lot of opportunity for problems and these professionals passed the test all year long,” Susewind added.
Before Ecology's recognition program began in 1995, it found just 14 treatment plants in perfect compliance.
“We see a lot of pride among the operators out there who make it a personal goal to achieve the 100 percent compliance mark each year,” Susewind added. “In many cases, these operators are backed by a very supportive local government that helps them be successful.”
Wastewater treatment plant operators face around-the-clock challenges. Their plants collect household sewage and industrial wastewater from large networks of underground sewer pipes all day, every day. They treat the sewage and then discharge clean, treated water into waterways or spread the water onto land. Ecology monitors each plant's effectiveness by requiring they meet conditions of permits that limit the contaminants the plants may discharge into lakes, rivers or marine waters or onto the ground.
Plant operators must be certified by the state and follow the requirements of their state permits.
Ecology reviewed every treatment plant's tests, reports and on-site inspections to determine which facilities met all conditions of their permits.
Highlights this year include super-achievers Manchester with 14 consecutive years of perfection, Newport with 13 years, and Port Townsend with 13 years. In addition, 20 plants are getting the honor for the first time. Chambers Creek, Marine Park in Vancouver, Sedro-Woolley, and Vancouver West have each received the award 10 times since 1995.
On the flip side, Ecology's 14-year record also indicates that 124 of the state's plants have never achieved 100-percent compliance.
The award-winning plants are located in the following counties: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Douglas, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Whatcom, Whitman, and Yakima.
For a complete list by county of the state's outstanding wastewater treatment plant award winners for 2008, go to:
www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/wastewater/op_cert/kudos.html
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Contact: Sandy Howard, communications manager, 360-407-6408 (desk); 360-791-3177 (cell); srud461@ecy.wa.gov
For more information: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/index.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
