The City of Sequim Water Reclamation Facility recently received a “Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance” award for 2020 by the Washington State Department of Ecology.

The Sequim Reclamation Facility has received the award for achieving full compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Only 126 systems out of about 300 received the award in 2020.

The Department of Ecology evaluates wastewater treatment plants in Washington for their compliance with effluent limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, spill prevention planning, pre-treatment, and overall operational demands of the NPDES permit.

“In 2020, wastewater treatment plant operators faced unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic. Facility staff kept the plants running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while also managing an influx of wipes, masks, and gloves clogging up their systems and causing serious problems,” said Vincent McGowan, Water Quality Program Manager for the Washington State Department of Ecology in a letter to the City of Sequim.

“It takes diligent operators and a strong management team, working effectively together, to achieve this high level of compliance. It is not easy to operate a wastewater treatment plan 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without violations.

“Ecology appreciates the extraordinary level of effort your plant operators demonstrated throughout 2020. Talented and proficient operators are critical to successful plant operations and protecting the health of Washington’s waters. This is the seventh consecutive year the Sequim Water Reclamation Facility received this award. Your excellent record is a credit to the dedicated operators who are responsible for operating this award-winning plant,” he added.

For more information, contact Utilities Manager Pete Tjemsland at 360-681-6607 or ptjemsland@sequimwa.gov.