The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has issued two new permits to King County's Wastewater Treatment Division for the Brightwater Treatment Plant system located outside of Woodinville.

Ecology's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for King County's Brightwater wastewater treatment plant authorizes the discharge of treated wastewater from the plant to central Puget Sound.  Ecology has also issued a Reclaimed Water permit for production, distribution and use of reclaimed water for irrigation, commercial and industrial uses.

These permits represent key tools to provide critical water-quality protection for Puget Sound.

Ecology issued the permits following a 30-day public comment period in April and May. The permits are the plant's first water-quality operating permits.

King County plans to begin operating the facility while the five-year permits are in effect.  Brightwater will become the state's largest wastewater plant to use a membrane bioreactor, an advanced treatment process.

The Brightwater wastewater treatment plant serves 14 cities and sewer districts in south Snohomish and north King County. The facility will treat approximately 30 million gallons of incoming sewage per day, on average.

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