King County Water Treatment Station Set to Open

A water treatment station in South Seattle is opening just in time for the region’s rainy season, when King County’s sewer pipes occasionally overflow and pollute the Duwamish River. Spencer Pauley describes the facility for The Center Square. “The county-owned Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station will be able to treat up to 70 million gallons of polluted stormwater per day during severe rainstorms, according to the county.”

King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. "This major capital project builds on progress we have made throughout the Green [and] Duwamish Watershed to better protect water quality and habitat for people, fish and wildlife.”

The facility will include crews that remove larger solid waste from rain water that is then filtered and disinfected before entering the Duwamish River. “To match the environment surrounding the Puget Sound region, the facility is designed with a plant-covered roof, rain gardens, solar panels and cisterns to irrigate the landscaping with captured rainwater.”