Advanced Wastewater Odor Control Systems Are Drawing Public Interest

Economic and population growth in the Seattle, Washington area has driven the need to increase regional wastewater treatment capacity. In the summer of 2000, King County began searching for locations for additional treatment facilities. Over the course of a 3-year public process between 2000 and 2003, more than 65 potential locations were evaluated. 

Because extensive stakeholder consultation and environmental reviews were a part of the siting process, odor control from the proposed facility became an important factor in its design. The resulting $1.86B, 36 million gallon per day regional system, known as Brightwater, now serves much of North King County and its wastewater treatment technologies have set far-reaching standards.