The Washington State Department of Ecology honored King County’s Carnation Treatment Plant with an “Outstanding Performance Award” for perfect compliance with all permit conditions in 2014.

The Carnation Treatment Plant is among 127 wastewater treatment plants statewide that received the recognition. To earn the award, the plant had to pass all environmental tests, collect and analyze all required samples, complete reports, and operate with no violations of any kind.

The plant also had to meet the overall demands of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit under the federal Clean Water Act and the state’s Water Pollution Control Law.

Each day, King County’s Carnation Treatment Plant serves about 2,000 people who live or work within the Carnation city limits. The collection system that brings wastewater to the plant is owned and maintained by the City of Carnation.

The plant started operating in 2008, protecting water quality and supporting the city’s planned economic development.

With its advanced technology and innovative design, the Carnation Treatment Plant also produces exceptionally high-quality recycled water that’s being used to enhance wetlands and preserve local habitat near the Chinook Bend Natural Area.

Additional information about the Carnation Treatment Plant and its sustainable features is available online.