Wastewater treatment workers are essential frontline workers you may not have immediately thought about during the pandemic. Like other critical government workers, they can’t do their jobs from home, so during 2020 they had to adjust many of the ways they worked in order to protect their own health and prevent the spread of the…
The employees who inspect and monitor all of the structures and pipes within the regional sewer system have a big job to do – with over 380 miles of sewer pipes to check, spread out over 424 square miles. The Conveyance Inspection and Flow Monitoring (CIFM) group uses instruments and equipment to see what’s happening…
King County’s Coal Creek Sewer Upgrade Project team is reaching out in summer 2021 to hear from people who care about accessible recreation.
What is happening A nationwide shortage of sodium hypochlorite – a chlorine compound and disinfectant in common household bleach and the primary disinfectant in our wastewater treatment process – triggered by a supply-chain disruption, is impacting wastewater treatment operations throughout the Northwest, including King County. Like several other utilities in the region, our staff is conserving the disinfectant while we try to…
The Brightwater Trails area in Woodinville has been popular for families, dog walkers, birders, and runners since it opened. Three miles of trails have connected people to nature and art for over 10 years. This year, the trails provided a welcome breath of fresh air for people looking to get some socially distanced exercise outside.…
It’s important to us that our wastewater facilities to be a good neighbor to the people who live, work and play near them. Part of being a good neighbor means that we work hard to control odors / smells that come from the wastewater treatment process—which can get gassy! Why does sewage smell? Treating dirty water at…
Restoring natural areas after construction is an important part of our work. When we work on improving or fixing the regional sewer system, sometimes impacts are unavoidable. When construction impacts sensitive areas and landscapes, our contractor restores the site before the project is complete. That’s what happened at Discovery Park in Seattle, and this spring…
Our employees plan, design, build and operate treatment facilities to clean wastewater for the region. As part of that, they often participate in teaching students about the wide variety of careers in clean water, especially as they relate to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Employees are also often involved in local and regional equity…
We don’t just treat wastewater! One of the things our utility does is education on water issues and solutions for students and community members. When we couldn’t do in-person teaching due to COVID-19, our utility’s education team adapted many of our programs to be online. Recently, we partnered with the Snohomish Conservation District to offer…
Across King County, there are gardens on rooftops, behind buildings, and nestled in unused parking lots. These spaces draw people from their apartments, homes, and living spaces. People connect with the land—even in the most unlikely of places. Community gardens are a public good. They provide greenspaces in concrete jungles. They help combat food insecurity…
King County Wastewater Treatment 