Community – King County Wastewater Treatment Division

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

A group of 13 people smile at the camera and hold up their hands waving. They are standing or kneeling in the rain garden.

Community

August 16, 2022

Kent Meridian High School Rocks a Rain Garden

Kent Meridian students, teachers, and community members celebrated the completion of the rain garden June 2, 2022. Students have led the project from the beginning and were involved in all aspects of garden design.

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Community

August 1, 2022

Brightwater Public Art: Grandfather’s Wisdom

The carved and painted cedar sculpture, originally constructed in 2012, has been a centerpiece at the site for the last decade. Now, Artist Andrea Wilbur-Sigo is continuing her work to restore the large-scale sculptural installation at her studio.

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Women in a hardhat, safety vest, and goggles at a wastewater treatment plant pointing at a jar of water

Community

March 22, 2022

Making ‘potty talk’ entertaining, interactive, and educational on World Water Day!

When we are young, we are sometimes told “No potty talk,” but at King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD), we believe in more educational potty talk!

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Community

January 25, 2022

City Soil Farm: A Record Year for White Center Food Bank Donations

City Soil Farm, located at King County Wastewater Treatment Division South Plant is a small farm that produces food for the community and demonstrates the benefits of turning wastewater into valuable resources like recycled water and Class A biosolids.

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Well KEPT youth employees wear masks and safety vest as they help build a trail detour

Community Infrastructure People

December 2, 2021

Building a path for the future during a challenging time

In 2021, WTD’s partners at City of Bellevue Parks navigated the ongoing pandemic to create a big win for trail users and youth employment.

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People planting plants in a rain garden lined with mulch

Community People

November 17, 2021

WaterWorks grants $5 million to community water quality improvement projects for 2022-23

68 projects aimed at protecting and improving regional water quality will be launched in the new year, thanks to funding through King County’s WaterWorks Grant Program.

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Students in the Clean Water Ambassador teen intern program stand in front of a building with masks on

Community

November 15, 2021

Wastewater education team wins award for inclusive youth employment

King County Wastewater Treatment Division was presented with the Youth Employer of the Year Award from the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment on October 26, 2021.

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