Published: Saturday, May 28, 2011
Upgraded wastewater treatment plant makes the Stilly sweet
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Michael O'Leary / The Herald
Fred Rapelyea, interim wastewater utility supervisor, views the flow of solid waste through the treatment plant in Arlington on May 11.
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Michael O'Leary/The Herald Interim wastewater utility supervisor Fred Rapelyea describes the process that takes place at the Arlington wastewater treatment plant.
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Michael O'Leary/The Herald Interim wastewater utility supervisor Fred Rapelyea views the intake filter where large items are filtered at the Arlington wastewater treatment plant.
ARLINGTON -- The city's public works director is so proud of Arlington's newly expanded and upgraded sewer plant that he's sad the project is finally over after six years.
And don't force him, but James Kelly is willing to prove his pride by drinking the water that flows from the plant into the Stillaguamish River.
"If you can get over the gag factor, it's perfectly safe and probably better water than you would find in much of the world," Kelly said.
Now that it's complete, the wastewater treatment plant is considered among the best in the nation, Kelly said. It's been featured in national trade magazines and been visited by public works people from across the country.
Its new filtration processes are the best available and the water released is at least 15 times cleaner than water produced by the former sewer plant, he said.
Chris Kelsey of Kennedy Jenks Engineers, the Seattle outfit that designed the treatment plant, has checked around with similar engineering firms throughout the country and he believes Arlington is in the top 5 percent of all plants nationwide in terms of efficiency and the quality of water it returns to the river.
"This shows that the city of Arlington was willing to step forward to become a good steward of the Stillaguamish watershed," Kelsey said. "This advanced technology is not cheap and they found a way to get it done."
The plant meets and exceeds the state's new water-quality requirements, state Ecology officials have said.
It is highly automated, allows for growth of the city and is energy efficient, Kelly said.
"It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to run this plant," he said. "We have a good crew."
The $35 million project was funded by several low-interest loans from the state Public Works Trust Fund, two highly competitive state and federal grants loans from the Department of Ecology and about $2 million from the city's sewer utility reserve fund.
The plant removes phosphorus and nitrates that are harmful to fish, filters waste through membranes with holes that are much finer than a human hair, and has an ultra-violet disinfection step that zaps viruses and bacteria.
"Those are the three things that separate our plant from others," Kelly said. "It's important because we have a river we must nurture so Arlington can be here for many years to come."
Earlier this month, while IMCO General Contracting crews from Bellingham put the finishing touches on the treatment plant, workers from Reece Excavating of Marysville started construction on the city's stormwater wetlands project.
The 27-acre wetlands, located on the other side of Highway 9 from the sewer plant, has been in the works for about 10 years. The project is expected to cost close to $1 million, more than half of which comes from two competitive grants from the state Department of Ecology.
Stormwater from gutters and ditches from old town Arlington will end up in a holding area that empties into a stream in the wetlands. As this meandering stream flows through the wetlands, pollutants in the water settle along the streambed and are filtered out by native plants growing there. The wetlands should be able to handle the water produced in the worst of storms and floods, Kelly said.
Right now, water from the storm drains in town goes right out into the river. When it rains hard, this water isn't pretty, he said.
The idea of cleaning water through a constructed wetland isn't new, Kelly said. It is, however, one of the best and most natural ways to get the pollution out of the storm water, he said.
During the summer, reclaimed water from the sewer treatment plant will be pumped through the stormwater wetlands to keep it irrigated and flowing properly.
The city's wetlands property was once home to a cedar shake mill and a family farm. One of the buildings on the property is set to be used for educational purposes, offering a chance to teach people how to prevent pollution, how the wetlands work and the history of the site, Kelly said.
The wetlands will become part of a string of riverside parks in Arlington that include bridges, trails and wayside exhibits.
At Haller Park, which sits near the wetlands and the treatment plant, a new public works department building, complete with a large public meeting room and other benefits to the park, is set to be built this fall at a cost of about $1 million, Kelly said.
Mark your calendar
The grand opening of the city's expanded sewer treatment plant and its stormwater wetlands is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 24. More information about the treatment plant and the wetlands is available at www.arlingtonwa.gov.
How to keep storm water clean
Scoop up and dispose of your pet's poop; take your vehicle to a local business to be washed or get the oil changed; plant native trees and shrubs on your property to help filter run-off pollutants.
And don't force him, but James Kelly is willing to prove his pride by drinking the water that flows from the plant into the Stillaguamish River.
"If you can get over the gag factor, it's perfectly safe and probably better water than you would find in much of the world," Kelly said.
Now that it's complete, the wastewater treatment plant is considered among the best in the nation, Kelly said. It's been featured in national trade magazines and been visited by public works people from across the country.
Its new filtration processes are the best available and the water released is at least 15 times cleaner than water produced by the former sewer plant, he said.
Chris Kelsey of Kennedy Jenks Engineers, the Seattle outfit that designed the treatment plant, has checked around with similar engineering firms throughout the country and he believes Arlington is in the top 5 percent of all plants nationwide in terms of efficiency and the quality of water it returns to the river.
"This shows that the city of Arlington was willing to step forward to become a good steward of the Stillaguamish watershed," Kelsey said. "This advanced technology is not cheap and they found a way to get it done."
The plant meets and exceeds the state's new water-quality requirements, state Ecology officials have said.
It is highly automated, allows for growth of the city and is energy efficient, Kelly said.
"It takes a lot of skill and knowledge to run this plant," he said. "We have a good crew."
The $35 million project was funded by several low-interest loans from the state Public Works Trust Fund, two highly competitive state and federal grants loans from the Department of Ecology and about $2 million from the city's sewer utility reserve fund.
The plant removes phosphorus and nitrates that are harmful to fish, filters waste through membranes with holes that are much finer than a human hair, and has an ultra-violet disinfection step that zaps viruses and bacteria.
"Those are the three things that separate our plant from others," Kelly said. "It's important because we have a river we must nurture so Arlington can be here for many years to come."
Earlier this month, while IMCO General Contracting crews from Bellingham put the finishing touches on the treatment plant, workers from Reece Excavating of Marysville started construction on the city's stormwater wetlands project.
The 27-acre wetlands, located on the other side of Highway 9 from the sewer plant, has been in the works for about 10 years. The project is expected to cost close to $1 million, more than half of which comes from two competitive grants from the state Department of Ecology.
Stormwater from gutters and ditches from old town Arlington will end up in a holding area that empties into a stream in the wetlands. As this meandering stream flows through the wetlands, pollutants in the water settle along the streambed and are filtered out by native plants growing there. The wetlands should be able to handle the water produced in the worst of storms and floods, Kelly said.
Right now, water from the storm drains in town goes right out into the river. When it rains hard, this water isn't pretty, he said.
The idea of cleaning water through a constructed wetland isn't new, Kelly said. It is, however, one of the best and most natural ways to get the pollution out of the storm water, he said.
During the summer, reclaimed water from the sewer treatment plant will be pumped through the stormwater wetlands to keep it irrigated and flowing properly.
The city's wetlands property was once home to a cedar shake mill and a family farm. One of the buildings on the property is set to be used for educational purposes, offering a chance to teach people how to prevent pollution, how the wetlands work and the history of the site, Kelly said.
The wetlands will become part of a string of riverside parks in Arlington that include bridges, trails and wayside exhibits.
At Haller Park, which sits near the wetlands and the treatment plant, a new public works department building, complete with a large public meeting room and other benefits to the park, is set to be built this fall at a cost of about $1 million, Kelly said.
Mark your calendar
The grand opening of the city's expanded sewer treatment plant and its stormwater wetlands is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 24. More information about the treatment plant and the wetlands is available at www.arlingtonwa.gov.
How to keep storm water clean
Scoop up and dispose of your pet's poop; take your vehicle to a local business to be washed or get the oil changed; plant native trees and shrubs on your property to help filter run-off pollutants.
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