Ecology proposes new safeguards at King County South Plant permit

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - July 30, 2009

09-186

Ecology proposes new safeguards at King County South Plant permit

BELLEVUE – Washington's second-largest municipal wastewater treatment plant would follow some more stringent requirements under a Department of Ecology (Ecology) proposal. Ecology issued a draft discharge permit for King County’s South wastewater treatment plant in Renton today.

Ecology seeks public comment on the proposed five-year re-issuance of this National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The permit is a key tool to provide critical water quality protection for Puget Sound.

“The permit pulls together the standards and requirements in our clean water laws and regulations into a set of conditions,” said Kelly Susewind, who manages Ecology’s water quality program. “These ensure that what comes into the wastewater treatment plant as sewage goes out as treated water suitable for release to Puget Sound.”

The public comment period on the proposed permit extends through Sept. 18, 2009. Written comments may be sent to Tricia Miller, Permit Coordinator, Department of Ecology, 3190 160th Ave. SE, Bellevue, Wash. 98008-5452 or via e-mail to: tmil461@ecy.wa.gov , with South Plant Permit in the subject line.

Ecology will host an informal presentation and a formal public hearing on the proposal on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, at King County’s Regional Library in Bellevue. A presentation on the permit – open to audience questions – will begin at 6 p.m.. A formal public hearing to receive written or oral testimony will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The proposed permit and related information are available online at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/northwest_permits.html (scroll down to King County Wastewater Treatment Division - South Wastewater Treatment Plant) and at Ecology’s Bellevue office via mail request (at the address above) or by phone, 425-649-7201.

The South wastewater treatment plant serves an area of 152 square miles and 25 cities and utility districts in parts of south and east King County. It treats an average of approximately 70 million gallons of incoming sewage per day. Treatment plant permits last for five years.

Ecology issued a similar permit in June 2009 for King County’s larger West Point treatment plant in Seattle.

New or updated provisions in the renewed South Plant permit include:

More restrictive dilution factors than in the previous permit.
Requires increased monitoring of priority and toxic pollutants in the South Plant discharge.
Requires King County to more extensively test for sediments toxicity in the vicinity of the South Plant outfall – in Elliott Bay, off Duwamish Head in Seattle – than the previous permit.
Adds requirements to track the input of industrial chemicals into the sewer system.

The King County treatment-plant permit upgrades come as Ecology conducts several studies and plans to support long-range goals to restore and protect Puget Sound.

Under a special condition in the draft permit, if studies on low dissolved oxygen problems in southern Puget Sound waters point to South Plant as a significant contributor, the renewed permit would require King County to propose changes to further improve its discharge.

“The studies now under way for the Puget Sound Initiative will provide information that could lead to new or changed strategies,” said Susewind. “If the findings show a need for changes at treatment plants before the next scheduled permit upgrade, Ecology can take steps to make those changes.”

Puget Sound studies currently under way that could affect future permits for South Plant and other treatment plants include:

Controlling nutrient pollution to maintain dissolved oxygen levels:

South Sound Dissolved Oxygen Study. This research includes King County’s wastewater treatment plants. It examines how various sources of nitrogen and phosphorus affect dissolved oxygen levels. These pollutants feed processes that use up oxygen that fish and other marine life need to live. Preliminary results are due in later this year, with a final report in 2010.
An economic and technology study will evaluate the costs and benefits of available technologies that can reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in treated wastewater.

Toxics and pharmaceuticals:

A study – due later this year – will assess the presence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors (which interfere with biological reproduction).
An evaluation – due in about one year – will report on the concentrations of toxic compounds released by treatment plants.

To learn more about protecting water quality protection in Puget Sound, please visit http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/index.html .

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Media Contacts: Larry Altose, Ecology media relations, 425-649-7009; pager 206-663-1785 Mark Henley, Ecology permit manager for South Plant, 425-649-7103; mahe461@ecy.wa.gov

For more information: Water quality permits in Ecology’s Northwest Region: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/permits/northwest_permits.html

Puget Sound Water Quality: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/index.html

South Sound Dissolved Oxygen Study http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/dissolved_oxygen_study.html

Control of Toxic Chemicals in Puget Sound http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/pstoxics/index.html