The Centralia Wastewater Treatment Plan is receiving the 2019 Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance Award.
“This is the fifth time we have received the award in its 25 year history. It’s really a credit to the outstanding crew here at the wastewater department,” said Centralia’s Wastewater Operations Manager Rick Eaton. “They took all 490 million gallons of wastewater that everybody in town flushed down the drain and conveyed it, treated it, tested it and put it back in the river where it’s safe for the environment and to recreate in.
The Department of Ecology has been recognizing wastewater treatment plants around the state for 25 years and to earn the recognition the plants have to meet all requirements in their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit without violations. Some of the requirements include pollution limits, recording requirements and spill prevention planning.
“Of approximately 300 wastewater treatment plants statewide, (Centralia) is one of the 125 that has achieved full compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit in 2019,” read a letter from the state’s department of ecology to the city. “It takes diligent operators to achieve this high level of compliance.”
Eaton encouraged citizens to congratulate wastewater employees on their achievement.
