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King County Wastewater Treatment Division will save $83.5 million by receiving low-interest loans granted by the state Department of Ecology that will help money 2 important water quality jobs.
The King County Council just recently authorized the loan arrangement, which will supply the Wastewater Treatment Division with $165.3 million for a water quality task along the Lake Washington Ship Canal and funding the brand-new Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station, both of which will decrease stormwater contamination.
“These investments are critical to a clean and healthy Puget Sound – now and in the future,” said Wastewater Treatment Division Director Kamuron Gurol. “Our strong track record in financial management allows us to secure excellent financing options including these low-interest loans. This helps get the most mileage we can out of these projects while lowering the burden on ratepayers.”
The Department of Ecology’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund loans use to 2 jobs:
- The Ship Canal Water Quality Project, a collaboration with Seattle Public Utilities that will avoid approximately 75 million gallons of contaminated stormwater and wastewater from streaming into the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Salmon Bay, and Lake Union each year.
- The Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station, which King County started running in late 2022 and now treats approximately 70 million gallons of combined stormwater and wastewater daily throughout heavy storms to much better safeguard the Duwamish River and Puget Sound.
Polluted stormwater – overflow that takes place throughout heavy rains – is thought about among the most significant hazards to water quality today in King County. It brings toxics – motor oil, metals, pesticides, fertilizer, animal waste, and more – straight into streams, rivers, and Puget Sound. It is adding to the significant decrease in native salmon and is threatening the survival of southern resident whales.
Both jobs advance King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan to prepare the area for environment effects and the Wastewater Treatment Division’s method to decrease and manage combined drain overflows. They remain in addition to other jobs that are improving the area’s wastewater system, making it more dependable and resistant to environment effects. The Wastewater Treatment Division just recently began a years of enhancements at West Point Treatment Plant that will change pumps and pipelines, make seismic upgrades, and supply teams with a more dependable power supply.
Securing low-interest loans is among numerous methods the Wastewater Treatment Division reduces the effects to ratepayers in addition to mindful task preparation and cost decrease steps.
King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division safeguards public health and boosts the environment by gathering and dealing with wastewater while recycling important resources for the Puget Sound area. The department offers wastewater treatment services to 18 cities, 15 regional drain districts, and the Muckleshoot Tribe, consisting of almost 2 million homeowners throughout a 420-square-mile location in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.
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These financial investments are important to a tidy and healthy Puget Sound – now and in the future. Our strong performance history in monetary management permits us to secure outstanding funding alternatives consisting of these low-interest loans. This assists get the most mileage we can out of these jobs while reducing the concern on ratepayers.
For more details, contact:
Marie Fiore, Wastewater Treatment Division, 206-263-0284
