Performance Measures
Sustainable Resources
This roll-up measure summarizes the degree DNRP is achieving its Sustainable Resources goal:
Create resources from waste, reduce emissions and increase the efficiency of facilities and operations.
2007 results
DNRP's rating for the performance measures that support this goal is a yellow — signifying results are within 10 percent of target.
Areas under this goal where DNRP performance exceeds target:
- Wastewater Resource Reclamation
Areas under this goal where DNRP performance approaches target:
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
- Climate Protection
- Green Building
Areas under this goal where DNRP performance needs improvement:
- Energy Plan Implementation
Key influencing factors
For many years, DNRP divisions and programs have been aggressively researching, analyzing and adopting appropriate technologies for harvesting resources from wastewater and solid waste streams. In 2007, the Wastewater Treatment Division was able to meet its targets for reclaiming both water and biosolids from the wastewater treatment system.
Reducing solid waste disposal and improving recycling rates require individual and institutional behavior changes, while the industrial pre-treatment program helps businesses reduce pollutants that, left untreated, would enter the wastewater treatment stream.
Energy Plan implementation has been hampered by aging equipment for converting biogas collected from the wastewater treatment process, and system development challenges have slowed the implementation of technology to convert landfill methane into a usable energy.
Strategies going forward
The completion of the Brightwater Treatment Plant in 2010 will significantly increase available volumes of reclaimed water. New regulations, incentive programs and outreach efforts are helping ensure that the wastewater treatment program can increase its production of resources from wastewater.
A contractor is now installing technologies for converting landfill gas into a usable energy source.
Upcoming efforts to improve recycling rates and reduce the amount of solid waste that comes to King County's Cedar Hills Regional Landfill include policy changes, outreach and education and improvements in solid waste management facilities that will be outlined in the 2008-09 update to the King County Solid Waste Comprehensive Management Plan.
DNRP is now completing its resource management database to help improve the tracking and analysis of resource consumption at its facilities. This application will highlight opportunities to improve efficiencies. The Green Building team is adding resources to the GreenTools Web site to better support project managers and developers who seek to achieve LEED certification or add sustainable features to infrastructure projects.
Teams are in place to ensure coordinated implementation of King County's inter-related Climate Protection and Energy plans. An assessment of operational greenhouse gas emissions required for King County's participation in the Chicago Climate Exchange is helping staff identify opportunities for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
More information about King County's Solid/Hazardous Waste Mgt, Wastewater Resource Reclamation, Facility Conservation, Energy Plan, and Climate Protection is available by continuing to the pages for these performance measures:
