Western Washington weather doesn’t hold back this time of year. Bomb cyclones, atmospheric rivers, and quick-hitting windstorms can knock out power with little warning. Yet even in the fiercest of storms, our wastewater system has to keep hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater flowing reliably every moment of the day and night.
Control panel showing the settings used to switch to generator power.
That’s where our backup generators come in handy.
As part of our emergency preparedness, we have more than a hundred of these diesel engines on standby at pump stations, regulator stations, and treatment plants across the region. While they aren’t powerful enough to run a treatment plant, they do help keep critical equipment operating. They turn on automatically when the grid goes down. Some of our facilities only need a small engine to stay online, while others require the kind of horsepower it takes to run 2,000 homes. Together, these engines form a lifeline that keeps the power on when all else fails.
While the generators provide the power, it is our skilled employees who maintain them that keep everything running smoothly. Trevor Bagley is one of our 26 offsite operators. This team visits facilities across our 424-square-mile service area to inspect equipment and call in our engine mechanics when something needs attention.
“We check these engines at least once a month,” Bagley said. “You don’t want to find out something’s wrong when the power’s already out. Everything has to work, no surprises.”
Offsite operator Trevor Bagley makes the rounds at the Juanita Bay Pump Station in Kirkland.
During an inspection, operators check fuel levels, review control panels for alarms, and test the system to see how it responds to a simulated outage. They’re listening for smooth starts and watch the gauges to confirm that backup power will be ready when needed.
As we head deeper into the Big Dark, know that we are ready. The flows never stop, and neither do our crews.