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August 2024
Wrapping up a sunny summer
The drier months are a wonderful time to visit the Brightwater trails area and prepare for the rainy season ahead. This is also a good time for King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) to maintain our facilities and work on projects in and around the Brightwater Treatment Plant.
Read on to learn more about restoration work in the trails area, what you can do to prepare your home for the rainy season, and more!
If you know others who are interested in Brightwater, share this newsletter with them and encourage them to sign up for these emails! Visit Brightwater’s web page to learn more about the treatment plant and trails area.
Restoration work in Otter (Lower) Pond August 21 - 22
Trail users in the north trails area near the Education Center may see crews working in Otter Pond August 21 and 22. Crews will be installing plants on some of the rafts in the pond. The purpose of this work is to improve water quality.
On these dates, there will be no public access to the lower viewing platform or pond edges. Please keep a safe distance away from vehicles and follow instructions from crews.
What to expect during this work:
- Crews working in and near Otter Pond approximately 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Crew trucks using the trail.
- No public access to Otter Pond during daytime working hours.
- Temporary trail closures in the area to allow equipment to safely pass through.
Rafts and plants on Otter Pond work to improve water quality.
Alpha Hill closed for restoration
If you frequent the Brightwater trails area, we need your help! Alpha Hill, the hill that towers over the south part of the Brightwater trails area, is permanently closed for restoration. Please stay on the designated trails to protect the surrounding landscape. Informal paths on the steep hillside can harm water quality by sending dirt into Little Bear Creek, a home to endangered salmon. Plan your next visit using the designated Brightwater trails map, offering three miles of routes for you to enjoy.
Later this year, crews plan to install a rock wall, fence, and landscaping at the base of Alpha Hill. The vegetation will filter runoff while providing wildlife habitat and improving drought tolerance. To make sure everyone stays safe, King County’s contractor will temporarily close a section of trail in the Brightwater trails area during construction. Please follow signs and stay on open trails to protect the landscape.
Contractor and supply availability, as well as permit approvals from various agencies, can delay project work. We will send an update once construction is scheduled.
Alpha Hill is closed to public access. Please stay on designated trails to protect the landscape.
Brightwater 2024 newsletter available online
Read our 2024 Brightwater spring newsletter to learn how Operations prepares for the Pacific Northwest rainy season. You will also learn how you can prepare to help protect your property and regional water systems when the storms arrive! The Brightwater newsletter is also available in Español (Spanish), 中文 (Chinese, Simplified), 正體字 (Chinese, Traditional), and Русский (Russian)
The drier months are a good time for us to maintain our facilities and work on projects across our regional wastewater system. It's also a good time for you to prepare for the next rainy season.
You can prepare your property by:
- Inspecting and maintaining your side sewer
- Planting a utility-friendly landscape
- Disconnecting your downspouts from the sewer
- Using rain barrels, cisterns, and rain gardens to keep rainwater on site
The graphic above shows how groundwater and rainwater can get into the sewer. Cracks from old pipes and tree roots let groundwater seep in. Roof drains attached to the sewer also send rain into the pipes.
‘Deep listening to the system’ art project features Brightwater
In partnership with 4Culture, artist Susan Robb’s “Deep Listening to the System” highlights King County WTD and the incredible people who work to treat and clean our wastewater every day. Robb uses sound to reveal our wastewater treatment system with the community.
Watch the videos featuring Brightwater and learn more on 4Culture’s website.
New PopUp StoryWalk in the trails area
Back by popular demand: There is a new PopUp StoryWalk at Brightwater! Visitors of all ages can walk the Brightwater trails and enjoy an illustrated story entitled, The Bear and the Piano, by David Litchfield. As visitors follow the trail that meanders through the forest, they can read the story page by page. The popup story begins at the gravel trail near the Education Center and will be available through September 20.
Ever wonder what happens to the water you flush? Join a plant tour!
Are you interested in learning about what goes on behind the fence at Brightwater? We offer tours throughout the year. Find out when tours are happening and sign up via our Upcoming Events webpage.
To request a tour for groups such as a university class, work team, or larger community group, fill out the online form or email Kristin.Covey@kingcounty.gov.
A group of people learn about the wastewater treatment process inside the Brightwater Treatment Plant.
Join King County’s Workforce
WTD employees, like Shane Hamilton, an industrial mechanic at West Point Treatment Plant, and Pam Restovic, a senior operator at Brightwater Treatment Plant, have developed successful career paths with King County. Read their stories here.
Find your career with competitive pay, benefits, and a pension plan today by applying on governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty. Get notified about new positions by searching KC Jobs and set up automatic notifications for any job category of interest, such as "wastewater.”
Subscribe to The Bubbler
Sign up for The Bubbler newsletter to follow King County Wastewater Treatment Division’s latest news and updates on clean water investments. Get caught up by checking out the past issues, available on our website.
Questions or Comments?
Email us at Brightwater@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-7432. If you would like a call back, please leave a voicemail with your phone number. To learn more about Brightwater, visit us online at kingcounty.gov/Brightwater.
Interpretation and translation services are available to you at no cost. If you need them, please contact Brightwater@kingcounty.gov.
Los servicios de interpretación y traducción están disponibles sin costo alguno. Si los necesita, comuníquese con Brightwater@kingcounty.gov.
免費為您提供口譯和筆譯服務。如果您需要這些服 務，請聯絡 Brightwater@kingcounty.gov.
免费为您提供口译和笔译服务。如果您需要这些服 务，请联络 Brightwater@kingcounty.gov.
Alternative Formats Available: 206-477-5371 or TTY Relay: 711
Formatos Alternativos Disponibles: 206-477-5371 o retransmisión TTY: 711
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