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 Image: Solar panels cover the roof of the Power Quality Facility
While every day is Earth Day at King County Wastewater Treatment Division, we celebrated Earth Month by getting one step closer to increasing power reliability at our West Point Treatment Plant. This means better protecting Puget Sound’s water quality and improving climate resiliency! Here are some updates about the projects that are moving things in the right direction.
- Our Universal Power Supply (UPS) Project wrapped up in 2023. UPS equipment ensures that various West Point operations have the right kind of power when needed. West Point operators can also monitor UPS equipment remotely.
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The Power Quality Improvement Project will be completed by the end of this year. The goal of the project is to provide stable, steady power to the plant’s Intermediate Pump Station (IPS) and Effluent Pump Station (EPS) pumps when the plant’s power experiences a power sag or brownout. The IPS and EPS pumps are critical to our treatment operations as they keep water moving through the plant and discharge it once it is treated.
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This project also built the new battery building known as the Power Quality Facility. The facility is home to over 2,000 batteries! Plus, we've covered the roof with solar panels, spanning an impressive 4,200 square feet. That is nearly five pickleball courts! Not only does this exceed project permit requirements for solar power, but it also helps us be more resilient to climate changes.
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Finally, West Point’s Electrical Improvements Project is entering the construction phase this summer. The project will replace and upgrade numerous electrical components throughout the plant. Much of the equipment is at the end of its useful life, with most being in service when the plant improved treatment processes in the 1990s. This project will continue through 2032.
As our region experiences more frequent severe storms due to climate change, these efforts become increasingly significant.
Coastal cleanup
Image: West Point employee volunteer beach cleanup event at Discovery Park
In celebration of Earth Day, our beach cleanup event at our facility. The team filled several trash bags with debris during the cleanup, including cans, plastic bottles, and other trash. We're committed to being great neighbors and making sure our local beaches stay pristine and enjoyable for everyone.
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clean water investments
 Image: Executive Constantine and Councilmember Barón touring West Point
The King County Wastewater Treatment Division secured a $498.3 million loan package commitment through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program to complete 14 infrastructure projects that will help improve water quality. The capital projects will build on other enhancements we have made in recent years that have made the regional wastewater treatment system safer, more reliable, and more resilient to climate impacts.
So far, we have received the first installment of funding—a substantial $194 million loan package. This initial loan will save King County ratepayers $19.8 million in interest fees. The extended repayment period also lowers the county’s annual debt payments.
Senior EPA officials and congressional staff joined Executive Dow Constantine in March for a tour of the plant and to celebrate this exciting news!
Executive Constantine and Councilmember Barón visit West Point
Image: Councilmember Barón touring West Point
Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Jorge Barón donned their hard hats in early February, venturing out to the West Point Treatment Plant to check out the latest progress surrounding the Power Quality Improvements Project following the WIFIA loan. The duo explored the Power Quality Facility, celebrating a major milestone in our push to amp up reliability of the plant’s power supply and better prepare the facility for climate impacts.
Tune in to their site visit by checking out the video.
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Dive into a career in wastewater
Image: OIT program participants
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About 25% of the Wastewater Treatment Division’s workforce is gearing up for retirement in the next five years, so we’re shaking up our recruitment strategy. The traditional approach was ineffective, prompting the division to develop a new program for recruitment and in-house training.
In 2017, we established a six-month training academy — complete with paid, on-the-job positions — that prepares candidates for state certification and paves the way to success in a career with the Wastewater Treatment Division. The initial six months in the Operator-in-Training (OIT) program will provide candidates the training necessary to earn a Washington State Department of Ecology OIT Certification. Here are a few ways the OIT Program applies a new approach:
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Breaking barriers: With technical and on-the-job training, say goodbye to the traditional approach of only recruiting operators who were formally educated. The OIT program welcomes candidates who have transferable skills and a strong work ethic.
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Community connection: Recruitment will attract talent from local communities through job fairs and trade shows, creating a workforce that reflects the communities the division serves.
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Peer relationships: Step into the program alongside a cohort of peers! We’ve heard from women and people of color in our communities and understand that starting together establishes an inclusive and supportive experience.
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Hands-on training: The curriculum goes beyond theory, offering field trips and other programming that introduce the trainees to the underlying principles of water quality and resource recovery. Trainees will have a well-rounded understanding of how their work contributes to environmental stewardship.
The selected OIT participants will start their six-month short-term temporary utility worker positions in spring of 2025. Check out the OIT program video!
Image: Archaeologist Dennis Lewarch
For over four decades, Dennis Lewarch has been the Indiana Jones of Washington archaeology, working as a vital force for public advocacy, education, and protection of archaeological, historic, and Native American traditional places around King County and Puget Sound.
From digging up ancient artifacts to fighting for preservation policies, Lewarch has done it all. Lewarch has worked as a professional archaeologist for the University of Washington, as a private consulting archaeologist in Western Washington and the Pacific Northwest, and for the past 16 years as the Suquamish Tribe’s Historic Preservation Officer.
To recognize his career and many accomplishments, Lewarch received the 2023 John D. Spellman Award for Career Achievement for his work at West Point. Congratulations, Dennis!
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Stay in the loop with all things clean water by also subscribing to The Bubbler newsletter! From exciting WTD updates to insider scoops, this newsletter delivers interesting stories and updates beyond West Point.
Subscribe today and dive into the world of wastewater with us!
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Image: Microscopic photo of microbes, specifically stalked ciliates
Meet the microbes, the unsung heroes working in our wastewater to break down bacteria and pollutants! West Point is a secondary treatment facility that uses an activated sludge process to clean wastewater. This is a two-step process where anything not removed during primary treatment gets removed using oxygen and microorganisms to clean the wastewater.
So how do the microbes do their job? After removing about 50-60% of solids from the water, the remaining organics are consumed by bacteria (activated sludge) that are in turn being consumed by the microbes. They eat and metabolize the organic material back down into basic components: nitrogen compounds, carbon dioxide and water!
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Image: Cougar in a tree
Did you know that cougars, while typically active from dusk to dawn, may also be seen hunting during the day? In fact, some Magnolia residents spotted a cougar near Seattle Parks' Discovery Park in March. Cougar attacks are exceptionally rare, but do happen. A cyclist, riding with a group near North Bend, WA, was attacked in February this year. If you see a cougar in Discovery Park, contact Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police by calling 877-933-9847 or use the online form.
In case of an encounter, wildlife officials recommend slowly backing away, shouting, and waving your arms to be assertive. Never turn your back or run! While spotting these animals can be thrilling, remember that safety always comes first! Find more information here.
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