July 27, 2005
Route 9 location reaffirmed as 'optimal site' for Brightwater wastewater treatment plant
2005 Archived News
After considering the latest environmental review, King County
Executive Ron Sims today reaffirmed his decision that the optimal
location for the Brightwater wastewater treatment plant is next to
State Route 9 north of Woodinville.
"We must move forward now and build Brightwater to protect water
quality and serve the rapidly growing population in south Snohomish and
north King County," Sims said. "Route 9 is the optimal site for
providing this new treatment capacity. And I'm convinced we can
mitigate any significant environmental impacts at that location."
Other Brightwater facilities include a 13-mile pipeline to carry
treated wastewater mostly below 195th Street in King County and the
Snohomish-King County line and a mile-long outfall deep in Puget Sound
west of Point Wells.
See related article: "King County seeking bids for first major Brightwater construction contract."
"I reaffirm the decision I made in December 2003 after a four-year
process involving local residents, cities, sewer districts, tribes and
many interested organizations," Sims said. "We have done the
environmental analysis and technical studies. We have acquired nearly
all the property we need. And we've reached significant milestones in
the permitting process.
"Building Brightwater will create jobs when our region needs them,"
he said. "Without Brightwater, our region risks sewage overflows into
local lakes, streams and Puget Sound -- and a moratorium on building
new homes and businesses that will hurt our economy."
Sims' original decision came after release of a final environmental
impact statement on the Brightwater project. That document included
more than 5,000 formal comments from 550 people, tribes and government
agencies.
Today's decision comes after release of a supplemental EIS on
seismic issues. King County got more than 600 individual comments from
two agencies, three organizations and 26 people.
"I am committed to carrying out the broad range of mitigation
measures identified for the Route 9-195th Street alternative," Sims
said. "The mitigation measures provide a comprehensive way to minimize
project impacts."
The mitigation measures were developed through public involvement
and collaborative efforts of the Brightwater team, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, local governments, and many people, organizations and
experts. They commented and raised questions on impacts of the project
and potential means to mitigate the impacts.
The supplemental EIS also referred to a permit issued June 15 by the
Corps of Engineers. That permit, required under the federal Clean Water
Act, approved King County's proposal to protect wetlands, water quality
and the environment during construction and operation of the Route
9-195th Street system.
The corps concluded that the Route 9-195th Street proposal is "the
least environmentally damaging practicable alternative available" to
King County from the many sites considered -- and not contrary to the
public interest.
"The corps' rigorous review of all possible plant sites and its
permit decision provide further evidence of the appropriateness of this
alternative for effective, timely protection of water quality," Sims
said.
Impact on the aquatic environment was the corps' main concern in
issuing the permit. But the corps also analyzed impacts to the human
environment, including water quality, economics, traffic noise,
aesthetics, cultural resources and other public interest factors.
The corps permit mandates various mitigation measures, both on-site
and off-site, including restoration of streams and creation,
restoration and enhancement of wetlands. King County also plans to
develop new wetlands to improve water quality in salmon-bearing streams
like Little Bear Creek.
"People want assurances that we will protect groundwater and
drinking water supplies," Sims said. "Our mission is to protect water
quality, not harm it. We have studied the worst -case scenarios and
will use the best engineering and technologies available to protect
people's drinking water."
Sims said his decision weighs the uncertainty of a devastating
earthquake at the Route 9 site against the certainty sewage will
overflow into Lake Washington after 2010 when the sewer system is
running beyond capacity.
"The evidence shows there's an extremely low probability of
surface-rupture earthquakes at the Route 9 site," he said. "We can
mitigate risks to water quality and the health and safety of the public
even in the very unlikely event of a seismic surface-rupture.
"The site and facilities design can also mitigate for soil
liquefaction and ground-shaking, which are far more likely risks during
an earthquake," Sims said. "We can safely build and operate Brightwater
at the Route 9 site during the design life of the plant."
Sims stressed that the seismic design of Brightwater facilities will
meet or exceed requirements of the 2003 International Building Code.
That code governs seismic design safety for schools, hospitals and
office buildings.
For more information about the Brightwater Project, visit its Web site.
You can also contact the Brightwater office: 22509 State Route 9 S.E.,
Woodinville; 206-684-6799 (voice); 1-888-707-8571 (toll free); 711 (TTY
relay); or brightwater@kingcounty.gov.
When Brightwater begins operating in 2010, it will serve Bothell,
Brier, Kenmore, Mill Creek, Redmond, Sammamish and Woodinville. It will
also serve unincorporated areas of Snohomish and King counties in the
Alderwood, Cross Valley, Northeast Sammamish, Northshore, Silver Lake
and Woodinville sewer districts.
Formerly known as Metro, the wastewater-treatment utility now
operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for 40
years. The regional clean-water agency serves 17 cities, 17 local sewer
utilities and more than 1.4 million residents in King, Snohomish and
Pierce counties.