July 28, 2022
Flying Solo
The use of an RPAS—or Remotely Piloted Aircraft System—by the County began about six years ago, but it is only recently that WTD came to own and operate our own devices.
January 18, 2022
Fine tuning wastewater treatment
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…
September 20, 2021
Reducing nitrogen in Puget Sound where it matters
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…
September 15, 2021
Making projects sustainable, resilient, and equitable
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.…
West Point Treatment Plant 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…
October 2, 2020
Supporting schools & families with virtual STEM education
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).
September 10, 2020
Meaningful, virtual classes for high-schoolers are possible!
This July, our utility held an online program for high school-aged students to learn how to help protect clean water in our region This July, our utility held an online program for high school-aged students to learn how to help…
June 8, 2020
RainWise Goes Virtual to Support Contractors
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…
May 24, 2018
Brown is the new ‘green’ as South Plant becomes a major local source of renewable biofuels
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…
April 2, 2018
Using virtual reality to train staff, pass on know-how
Cross-posted from KC Employee News Virtual reality is not just for gamers! King County is using HoloLens technology to capture work processes, take advantage of institutional knowledge and enhance staff training using Mixed and Virtual Reality. In a pilot project with Microsoft and…
December 13, 2017
South Plant gets to the heart of energy efficiency
This fall, WTD earned an $894,970 grant from Puget Sound Energy for a pump replacement project at South Plant that will save enough electricity to power 212 homes a year. Read how our team of engineers, energy experts and plant…