Every day, people in Bellingham wash dishes, shower, brush teeth, and flush sending between 8 and 72 million gallons of wastewater mixed with some stormwater, through a complex system of pipes and pumps to the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).
What arrives in the wastewater (called load) is as important as the quantity (or flow). Some days the amount of solid and dissolved, organic material or Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) reaches or exceeds the rated capacity of the plant.
Treated wastewater entering Bellingham Bay from our plant consistently meets or exceeds all state and federal standards designed to protect public health and the environment. However, as the plant reaches capacity for both "load" and "flow", we must make improvements to be able to continue to meet wastewater requirements and serve our community safely and effectively in the future.
To address this need, a City-hired consultant team has prepared several improvement alternatives for review and consideration. These recommendations, which will be the subject of extensive review during 2010, are consistent with the Comprehensive Sewer Plan adopted by City Council in 2009, and Council's adopted Legacies and Strategic Commitments (PDF) of Healthy Environment, Quality, Responsive City Services, and Access to Quality of Life Amenities.
In 1974, Bellingham opened the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant at the foot of Harris Avenue. The Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant began providing primary treatment for up to a peak flow of 55 mgd (million gallons per day) for the area's sewered population. In addition, the City’s wastewater flows into the plant from over 250 miles of sewer collection mains located in Bellingham and the surrounding community. Septic tank waste is also collected from private homes throughout Whatcom County and brought to the plant for treatment.
In 1993, Post Point was upgraded to include secondary treatment at a cost of $55 million. This upgrade to secondary treatment increased contamination removal to 95% before releasing it into Bellingham Bay.
The City's adopted Comprehensive Sewer Plan identifies the need for additional wastewater treatment capacity at the Post Point Plant. A Facilities Planning Process began in late 2009 and a final design for plant expansion is expected to be completed in 2011. Construction is expected by 2014.
The City initiated the Comprehensive Sewer Plan recognizing the
importance of planning, developing, and financing sewer system facilities.
It is the City’s intent to provide appropriate, safe, reliable sewer service
at a fair and reasonable price to customers while protecting and preserving
the environment. The adopted plan meets the requirements of state, county
and local jurisdictions including the Washington State Department of
Ecology.
The Plan continues prior work and provides the framework for the facilities
expansion planning process. Two peer review workshops provided extensive
discussion and comment on both plan development and implementation.
Following the workshops, staff briefed the Council on the collected
feedback, recommendations and next steps.
During the first of three public meetings, neighbors and concerned citizens
received project background information, facility design requirements and
participated in a discussion about neighborhood and community issues. The
second meeting addressed citizen comments and described how the
Triple
Bottom Line + methodology is used to guide project decisions. The third
meeting added concept drawings of the Revised Alternative 1B and an open
house opportunity for questions and answers.
