Community – King County Wastewater Treatment Division

Community People

October 24, 2025

Building independence through inclusion

At Brightwater Treatment Plant, young adults in the ATI program tackle real-world challenges while building confidence and job skills along the way. Their hands-on work not only transforms the landscape but also sparks personal growth, independence, and lasting pride.

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A smiling man in a patterned sweater speaks with a woman at the King County Jumpstart Contractor Network booth, surrounded by flyers, a laptop, and informational signs.

Community Infrastructure

June 11, 2025

Building the local economy through clean water projects

Clean water projects are creating more than infrastructure. They're creating opportunity. See how King County is supporting local jobs, small businesses, and a more equitable future.

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Community

March 25, 2025

Nonprofit partnerships aim to boost clean water careers in King County

King County nonprofits are breaking barriers to create a more inclusive wastewater workforce. Through collaborative community partnerships, a group of local nonprofits will be helping connect historically underrepresented groups with meaningful career opportunities in clean water management. The result? A…

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Community

September 13, 2024

Once a gas station, this converted art space makes an outsized impact on water quality

Discover how King County’s WaterWorks Grant Program helped transform a former gas station into an eco-friendly art space in Georgetown. The Mini Mart City Park uses the power of green infrastructure to improve local water quality while also providing classroom…

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Community Sustainability

August 9, 2024

From purple pipes to purple plums: How a wastewater treatment plant is helping feed local families in need.

In an admittedly unusual arrangement – a wastewater treatment plant is partnering up with a local foodbank to help feed thousands of local families. Using recycled water and sustainable garden practices, the South Treatment Plant is producing thousands of pounds…

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A group of cheerful people walking on an outdoor footbridge on a sunny day. They are dressed in casual outdoor gear suitable for a hike, with three of them holding binoculars and another holding a notepad. The trees behind them are without leaves, indicating an early spring setting.

Community

March 20, 2024

Birding at a Wastewater Treatment Facility? Brightwater Becomes a Hot Spot for Feathered Friends

The Brightwater Treatment Plant in Woodinville, with its 70-acre mix of fields, ponds, and trails, has evolved into a birdwatching haven, attracting over 130 bird species and earning a reputation as a top spot for young birders.

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A group of people, with one man gesturing enthusiastically, engage in a conversation at an indoor event about sustaining the environment, as indicated by the King County banners in the background

Community

March 19, 2024

New wastewater infrastructure projects connect communities to ‘green wave’ of jobs

King County's WTD is leveraging infrastructure projects like the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Project to foster job opportunities in the sustainability sector, addressing community desires for environmental jobs and education as part of inclusive workforce development partnerships in green…

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A group of the interns observe and take notes at one of the South Treatment Plants clarifiers. They stand along the rails of the clarifier, which is full of water and reflects the overcast sky that makes up the background. The students are wearing safety vests and hardhats.

Community

September 15, 2023

Swapping backpacks for hardhats, a summer job like no other

King County has been partnering with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust since 2016, as part the Wastewater Treatment Division’s efforts to cultivate the next generation of clean water professionals and to build more ties to communities in our service…

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Community

July 19, 2023

As Duwamish River is made cleaner, local artists help community connect to its waters

The Duwamish River has many sides to it – industrial corridor, habitat for migrating salmon, ancestral waters for the people who have long inhabited its shores and waters. Two local artists have been commissioned to capture the complexity of the…

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Community

June 14, 2023

King County’s wastewater ‘parks’ offer a dose of nature, minus the crowds

King County is home to many great parks and places to enjoy the outdoors. Perhaps lesser known among them are the hidden gems of nature tucked within the county’s wastewater treatment facilities.

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Community

February 13, 2023

Wastewater Becomes a Resource for Growing Food with Help from a Treatment Plant

At the South Treatment Plant in Renton, they take in waste that goes down the drain, cleans and disinfects it, and then turn some of it into recycled water and that can be safely used to grow food.

Marie Fiore

Community

December 15, 2022

Wheels to Water: Breaking Down Barriers to Education Opportunities

Each year, the WTD education team provides field trip programs that bring thousands of K-12 students to WTD facilities. Students come from school districts all over King County to participate in water-focused education programs.

Marie Fiore