Celebrate Earth Day on April 19 at regional wastewater treatment plant in Renton

Note to the news media: Treatment plant tours will be offered at 10:30 a.m. and Noon. Tours of Waterworks Gardens, an award-winning stormwater management park and community amenity with public art and open space will also be offered at 11 a.m., Noon and 1 p.m.

Celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 19, 2008, and get tips on being ‘green’ with a variety of fun, family-friendly activities at King County’s South Treatment Plant in Renton from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The open house will feature treatment plant tours, providing a first-hand look at why wastewater treatment is the No. 1 pollution prevention system in our region. The tours, which take place at 10:30 a.m. and Noon, will also explain how modern wastewater facilities are moving into the future by harnessing valuable resources such as energy, biosolids and reclaimed water from the treatment process.

Wastewater Treatment Division employees will also offer tours of nearby Waterworks Gardens park and its innovative combination of art, education and technology that enables people to ‘walk’ the path of the water purification cycle. Tours of Waterworks Gardens are being offered at 11 a.m., Noon, and 1 p.m.

Information on ‘green’ yard care and gardening will also be available. Rain Garden expert Brice Maryman, with SvR Design Company, will give tips on building a rain garden at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Open house visitors will also be treated to demonstration gardens, information on natural yard care and composting, and how to select safer, environmentally-friendly personal care products. Light refreshments will be served.

Directions to the South Treatment Plant are available on the Web at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/directions/. For more information, or to request reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, please call 206-296-8361 or 711 (TTY).

People enjoy clean water and a healthy environment because of King County's wastewater treatment program. The county’s Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health and water quality by serving 17 cities, 17 local sewer districts and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional clean-water agency now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for more than 40 years.

Note to editors and reporters: Visit the WTD Newsroom, a portal to information for the news media about the Wastewater Treatment Division, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/newsroom/.

This release is also posted on the Web site for the Department of Natural Resources and Parks at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/.

Annie Kolb-Nelson, Wastewater Treatment Division
Desk: 206-263-6157 
Cell: 206-423-8638
Pager: 206-469-2514
New e-mail: annie.kolb-nelson@kingcounty.gov

Check out the WTD online newsroom at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wtd/newsroom

Related Information:

South Wastewater Treatment Plant

Spring into Action - Earth Day Events