City of Forks wins award for ninth straight year

September 20, 2017 1:30 am
Pictured with the award are Danny Wahlgren, who oversees the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Paul Hampton, Public Works Director. Wahlgren said, “It is nice to see something positive for the city, these awards mean more to me now than they used to.” The two also said other city employees that help at the plant are; Mike Marshall, Tim Smith, Joseph Gaydeski, and Ivan Cowles. Photo Christi Baron
Pictured with the award are Danny Wahlgren, who oversees the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Paul Hampton, Public Works Director. Wahlgren said, “It is nice to see something positive for the city, these awards mean more to me now than they used to.” The two also said other city employees that help at the plant are; Mike Marshall, Tim Smith, Joseph Gaydeski, and Ivan Cowles. Photo Christi Baron

For the ninth consecutive year, the City of Forks Waste Water Treatment Plant has been awarded an Outstanding Performance Award. The award recognizes that the plant met its pollution limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, spill prevention planning, pretreatment and overall operational demands of their water quality permit.

Wastewater plants are the first line of defense to protect public health and clean water. Because this work is so critical, the Washington Department of Ecology honors the state’s top-performing wastewater treatment plants with the Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance Award. Treatment Plants across Washington that achieved full compliance with their water quality permits in 2016.

“We appreciate the extraordinary level of effort plant operators demonstrated throughout 2016. Talented and proficient operators are critical to successful plant operations and protecting the health of Washington’s waters,” said Heather Bartlett, who manages Ecology’s Water Quality Program.

In picking the winners, Ecology evaluated all of the plants in Washington for compliance with meeting pollution limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, spill prevention planning, pretreatment, and overall operational demands of their water quality permit.

Because wastewater treatment (sewer) plant operations are the first line of defense to protect public health and lakes, rivers and Puget Sound, the state Department of Ecology recognizes this achievement annually with its Outstanding Wastewater Treatment Plant Awards.

“Treatment plant operators are professionals who understandably take a lot of pride in their work and its importance in protecting the environment. It is an honor to recognize their contributions with these awards,” Bartlett said. There are approximately 330 wastewater treatment plants in Washington.