Reclaimed water in Sammamish Valley to benefit community

A new reclaimed water permit reminds us to use the right water for the right use

All water on earth is recycled, thanks to nature. Several sewage treatment plants in Washington are using their own process, instead of nature’s, to produce high-quality reclaimed water suitable for local use. Although reclaimed water has been around in Washington for more than 20 years, Ecology issued the state’s first administrative rule last year – the Reclaimed Water Rule (WAC 173-219). All new and reissued permits now follow our new requirements.

Reclaimed — or recycled — water starts out as domestic wastewater, but is then highly-treated through systems designed to produce water that is safe for many beneficial uses. King County’s Brightwater treatment plant is designed to be the largest reclaimed water producer in the state. Brightwater will receive one of the first new permits issued under the new reclaimed water rule and will be effective on May 1, 2019. The permit renews authority we granted to King County in 2011 to produce, distribute, and use reclaimed water. It also adds requirements based on the new rule. King County supplies reclaimed water from the Brightwater treatment plant for landscape irrigation at the Brightwater Education Center, at a golf course, a soccer complex, and a tree farm in the Sammamish valley. Water is also supplied for toilet flushing at the Brightwater Education Center. 

The Brightwater facility serves 67 square miles, stretching from the north end of Lake Sammamish to the City of Mill Creek in Snohomish County. The facility treats sewage from about 205,000 residents as well as wastewater from local businesses and factories. This relatively new facility was built to help with the population growth in the area and to help prevent overflow into Lake Washington.

 

Many facilities are using reclaimed water to meet community water needs

In late December 2018, we reissued a permit under the new rule to the Holmes Harbor Sewer District. This small facility outside of Freeland on Whidbey Island exclusively produces reclaimed water to use for irrigation of the Holmes Harbor Golf Course. During the winter, when the golf course does not need the water, the facility stores the reclaimed water in large lagoons until the summer.   

We currently have 29 facilities across the state producing reclaimed water (see map below) for a variety of irrigation uses, groundwater recharge, and other environmental benefits such as wetland enhancement. Over the next year we will work on renewing the permits for more than half of those facilities. Also, several other communities across the state are looking at adding reclaimed water as one of their tools meet their long-term water needs.

Reclaimed Water Rule first anniversary

After an extensive public process that started in 2006, we finalized the Reclaimed Water Rule in early 2018. This collaborative effort with the State Department of Health (Health) relied on many important partners across the state, including existing reclaimed water producers, tribal representatives, water utility representatives, consultants from engineering and other technical areas, and interested residents. After finalizing the rule, we worked with many of the same partners to complete our guidance manual for reclaimed water facilities – a document we call the Purple Book. 

We work with Heath to protect public health and the environment as we implement the new rule. We work together in reviewing proposals for new reclaimed water projects and in the development of permits for new and existing facilities. Safeguards in the new rule and in the reclaimed water permits are designed to match the water quality requirements with the planned uses. This ensures that water used in public areas is safe for public contact, while allowing use of lower quality water in areas with restricted access. The safeguards also protect drinking water sources by preventing cross-connections for reclaimed water to mix with drinking water supplies.

How is reclaimed water treated so it is safe?

Modern sewage treatment plants do a good job at removing most of the stuff people flush down a toilet or send to a sewer system. They typically remove more than 85% of the solids and biodegradable pollutants that enter the facility and disinfect the water to kill most pathogens. While the treated wastewater is generally safe to discharge and meets appropriate water quality standards, it is not necessarily safe to reuse, especially in areas with direct public contact.

Reclaimed water facilities take the treated domestic wastewater and apply higher levels of treatment to remove more solids and destroy more pathogens. The highest class of reclaimed water – Class A – is processed through filtration systems to remove nearly all solids and disinfected to a level that removes 99.99% of the viruses that may be in treated domestic wastewater. The high level of treatment is enough to turn what was once a wastewater into something that is no longer a waste – it is now a valuable resource ready for a beneficial use.

Brightwater Treatment Plant uses a process called a
Membrane Bioreactor or MBR to produce
Class A reclaimed water.

Reclaimed water treatment processes may differ across the state but there are two common types of treatment – filtration through sand or filter fabrics and filtration using membranes. These systems are followed by disinfection using intense ultraviolet light or chlorine. King County’s Brightwater Treatment Plant uses a process called a Membrane Bioreactor or MBR to produce Class A reclaimed water. This process combines typical treatment processes for a modern sewage treatment plant with an ultrafine membrane to produce water that is free of most pollutants.

By using the right water for the right use, reclaimed water is one way that Washington can help preserve our water supplies. If you are interested in receiving updates on reclaimed water in Washington, sign up for our listserv.

Visit King County’s reclaimed water website for more information on their facilities. 

Rain barrels: I took the do-it-yourself challenge

by Sandra Partridge, Ecology communications

 

Imagine putting rain to work for you.

Rain barrels capture rainwater for use on your yard and garden. They allow you to divert the water to the parts of the yard that need it most, instead of it just pouring out of your downspout.

Preparing now makes sense

While your garden doesn’t need rain now, it is a good time to prepare for the next growing season.

Getting set up now will come in handy later, especially if our state experiences another drought.  When the weather turns warm, using free rainwater can reduce your monthly household watering bills.

The challenge

You can find rain barrels for sale at garden supply centers, hardware stores and building supply chains, or you can order them online, although some stores only offer them in the spring and summer.

I read that even someone with limited skills and basic tools can build a rain barrel for about half of full retail price or less so I decided to try it.

To get started, I searched “building rain barrels” online and found a number of helpful, short how-to videos, instructions and material lists. For step-by-step directions, you’ll want to research out the plans that most appeal to you.

Designs differ, but most rain barrels have these features:

• A 55-gallon plastic drum that is either new or only contained food quality materials.
• A large hole in top for the water to flow into, covered by a screen to keep out leaves and other debris. 
• A faucet or ball valve toward the bottom, where you’ll attach the garden hose.
• To keep the barrel from getting too full, some have an overflow hole, high up on one side. You can run a hose from that too, to direct excess water away from the house.
• A stable, elevated base. This helps ensure that a full, heavy barrel won’t tip over.

Patience pays - literally

The total cost of the project will depend on what materials and tools you have on hand.

Finding a suitable drum this time of year took some time. After visiting several stores, I finally found one at a garden supply center for about $40. If I had more time, I would have kept looking for alternatives – maybe a restaurant or car wash that was going to take a suitable drum to recycling.

I also needed to buy some basic supplies and equipment:  two hole saws (that attach to your drill), a PVC adapter, a ball valve (or faucet), and some small fittings. I got those, and helpful advice, from my local hardware store.

My total investment was nearly $100.  But now that I’m set up – and if I can find a low-cost barrel to start with – I should be able to build a second one for far less. 

It wasn’t that hard

The steps are pretty basic. 

For the inflow, I cut a large hole in the top of the barrel. Then I set a PVC adapter into the opening, covered it with a piece of fine wire mesh, and secured it in place with a hose clamp.

For the faucet, I cut a small hole a few inches from the bottom. Then I added a fitting, inserted the ball valve and connected the hose.

Mine has a removable lid, to make it easier to clean. Because I don’t have a table saw, I used a reciprocating saw to cut the lid off the barrel. For safety, I braced the barrel against something solid so it wouldn’t turn as I made the cuts.

Mine had a small overflow hole fitted with an adapter and a small hose, to keep any excess water away from the house.

Was it worth it?

Yes, yes and yes. That evening, the sound of rain brought a smile to my face.  I checked on my rain barrel the next morning and was surprised to find it was already several inches full.  Pretty satisfying to see that it all worked as it was supposed to.  Since we’re entering the winter season, I’ll empty it and store it away for now.  But when spring comes, watering with rain water will be a real pleasure. 

Follow the purple pipes to a better use of our water supplies

By Dan Partridge, communications manager, Water Resources



Purple pipes signal the use of reclaimed water.

Those purple pipes you may have seen at your child’s soccer field are leading us into a future where we can make better use of our water supplies.

Purple pipes signal that reclaimed water is being put to use for the benefit of recreation, irrigating crops or restoring wetlands.

It’s not for drinking

Reclaimed water is not for drinking. It is water that has been treated by wastewater plants for non-drinking uses such as fire suppression, flushing toilets or controlling dust.

Currently, only 28 out of the 330 wastewater plants in Washington state are reclaiming water that would otherwise be discharged back into the environment.

Potential benefits are great

The potential benefits of water re-use are great. The regional wastewater treatment plant for Thurston County, for example, produces up to 1.75 million gallons of reclaimed water for watering parks and providing water for wetland ponds in Hawks Prairie. In Spokane County, reclaimed water from the Medical Lake Wastewater Reclamation Facility maintains water levels in West Medical Lake and provides irrigation water for the treatment plant grounds.

Just the beginning

The facilities in place now, however, are just the beginning. The Legislature has directed Ecology to encourage more use of reclaimed water by developing guidance for the development of reclaimed water projects. At a time when existing water supplies are shrinking in Washington state with declining snowpack and growing demand from population growth, the potential benefits of reclaimed water are enormous.

It’s estimated that we’re reclaiming only 8 percent of the discharges from our wastewater treatment plants but up to 472 million gallons a day of wastewater  discharges in Washington state could be reclaimed and used again, instead of being discharged downstream. (In Western Washington that means reducing discharges into Puget Sound.)

The tie to water rights

Ecology is developing rules and regulations that will encourage the development of reclaimed water projects in a way that won’t impair the water use of other water right holders.

To learn more about Ecology’s proposed statewide rule for reclaimed water, you’re invited to a statewide video conference from 1:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, July 14^th. Check in 15 to 20 minutes before the start time at the reception desk at any of Ecology’s regional offices:

• Ecology Headquarters/Southwest Regional Office, 300 Desmond Drive SE, Lacey, WA 98504
• Ecology Central Regional Office, 15 West Yakima Avenue Suite 200, Yakima, WA 98902
• Ecology Eastern Regional Office, 4601 North Monroe, Spokane WA 99205
• Ecology Northwest Regional Office, 3190 - 160^th Ave. SE, Bellevue, WA 98008

If you want to follow this work, you can join our Listserv.

---