The Washington State Department of Ecology recently honored King County’s Vashon Treatment Plant with an “Outstanding Performance Award” for operational excellence after perfect compliance with all permit conditions in 2017.

The Vashon plant is one of 111 wastewater treatment plants out of about 300 statewide that received the recognition. To earn the award, the plant had to operate around the clock for the entire year with no violations of any kind. In addition to meeting or exceeding effluent pollution removal requirements, the plant operations also flawlessly complied with monitoring and reporting obligations, pretreatment requirements and spill prevention planning.

“This is ‘The Experienced Water Project,’” said plant operator and long-time islander Greg Burnham in a county press release. “We’re committed to being a good neighbor, protecting the environment and promoting resource stewardship on the island.”

The plant was also the recipient of the National Association of Clean Water Agency’s “Platinum Peak Performance Award” for seven consecutive years of perfect compliance with effluent discharge requirements under the federal Clean Water Act and the state’s Water Pollution Control Law.

The Vashon Treatment Plant serves about 1,100 people who live and work within the Vashon Sewer District. The plant treats about 180,000 gallons of wastewater a day, with a capacity to handle up to 1.4 million gallons during storms.