There are many names for remotely piloted aircraft, and you may have heard them called drones, but here at the King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD), we refer to them as an RPAS—or a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System. The use of RPASs by the County began about six years ago, but it is only recently…
How we manage the wastewater as it goes through the treatment plant can enhance the cleaning process and make it more efficient. To do this, operations, maintenance, laboratory, and process staff closely monitor the water we clean as it goes through our treatment plants and can make adjustments. Over the last year and a half,…
King County is committed to protecting water quality and reducing harm to fish and aquatic life in Puget Sound’s shallow bays caused by human sources of nitrogen. The Department of Natural Resources and Parks supports a science-based approach that capitalizes on innovation and technology and focuses public resources where they can make a real difference.…
King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is being recognized for its commitment to sustainable communities and the environment. WTD’s Sunset / Heathfield Pump Stations and force main upgrade project was awarded an Envision® Silver Award this month for project sustainability. This is the second Envision-certified project for the region’s wastewater utility. In 2018, King County’s…
The West Point Treatment Plant processes about 100 million gallons of wastewater each day, and up to 440 million gallons during heavy rains. While the plant’s operators are working hard to keep the treatment process flowing smoothly, a momentary lapse of power supply quality can bring vital equipment operations to a hard stop. That’s why in February 2021, King County Executive Dow Constantine signed an emergency declaration and the King County Council authorized up to $65 million to provide West Point with more reliable power. The team…
When local schools began closing in March 2020 due to COVID-19, our utility’s education team quickly adapted the normal in-person field trips to live, virtual programs that fit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
This July, our utility held an online program for high school-aged students to learn how to help protect clean water in our region. The Clean Water Ambassadors Certificate Program, done in partnership with the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, ran for four weeks and was open to all high school-aged youth in the King County…
Are you hosting remote meetings? King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) would like to share some advice that will make your meetings more accessible. Not too long ago, a pandemic might mean intense social isolation for some. Today, technology lets us stay connected in real time, if not in person. Remote interactions are a lifeline…
For RainWise – a program designed to help property owners physically design and install rain gardens and cisterns – going virtual has had its challenges, but also unique opportunities. The RainWise program, a partnership between King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), provides rebates for home and property owners to install…
Purified renewable natural gas produced at South Treatment Plant in Renton is now a clean diesel alternative for local commercial trucks. Each year, the volume of renewable natural gas produced at the South Treatment Plant is the energy equivalent of about 1.7 million gallons of diesel fuel.
King County Wastewater Treatment 