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 An evening on the Duwamish gave King County WTD staff a new view of the river and the projects ahead.
Some members of the Mouth of Duwamish Program Team recently took advantage of the last sunny evenings to join the River Access Paddle Program for a kayak tour on the Duwamish River in Seattle. From the water, they saw salmon jumping, birds along the banks, and the river’s active industrial uses.
Experiencing the river firsthand gave our staff valuable perspective as they progress the Mouth of Duwamish Wet Weather Facilities capital program, which includes a new wet weather treatment station and a storage tank. This investment is designed to reduce combined sewer overflows during heavy rain meeting regulatory requirements and improving water quality for the communities and wildlife that depend on the river.
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 WTD’s Conveyance Inspection team sets up along a residential street in Black Diamond with their new sewer cleaning truck.
Our Conveyance Inspection team recently added a sewer cleaning truck to their roster! This powerful truck uses filtered wastewater to blast away sediment, wipes (don’t flush them!), oils and grease (don’t put it down the drain!), and vacuums up the mess — all without interrupting service or needing to bypass flows.
Taking care of county-owned sewer pipes extends the lifespan of aging infrastructure and keeps debris from costly damages to pumps and equipment downstream.
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 From left, Sean Franklin, Brandon Shaver and Jhanvi Rana look at equipment in the cogeneration facility at South Treatment Plant.
When electricity demand peaks, our South Treatment Plant team fires up the Renton facility’s cogeneration (or “cogen”) system to generate its own power and lessen demand on the grid.
In partnership with Puget Sound Energy, we shift 6 megawatts off the grid each time the system is activated. That is enough to power 4,200 homes and saved WTD $340,000 over just six months. It’s a win for the power grid, our ratepayers, and a more resilient Puget Sound.
Learn about the history of South Plant’s cogen system and how it helps support our region’s electrical supply.
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 Our wastewater system is complex, and this team helps make sense of the data we collect.
Our regional wastewater system serves communities across King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, and our GIS (geographic information system) team helps track more than 380 miles of pipes and much more! Watch the video to hear from our GIS team about how they support every corner of our organization.
From mapping underground pipes to planning for climate change, this team is always finding new ways to innovate, incorporate new tools such as drones, and make data more accessible. Their work keeps things flowing smoothly today, tomorrow, and beyond.
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WTD Swifties celebrate Taylor’s engagement to “the guy on the Chiefs” on National Toilet Paper Day.
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Our Brightwater, Vashon, and Carnation plants earn top honors in 2024!
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One more for the mantel: Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station recognized for innovation and impact.
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