Constantine Seeks $65 Million To Fix West Point Treatment Plant

SEATTLE — King County Executive Dow Constantine declared an emergency Thursday and submitted a $65 million request to secure funding for needed upgrades at the West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle. Constantine said increasing power disruptions have led to at least 15 spills at the 1.45 million square foot facility in the last 20 years, with more than half occurring in the past five years.

The massive Discovery Park plant treats wastewater for Seattle, Shoreline, north Lake Washington, north King County and portions of south Snohomish County.

"West Point is a vital facility that protects the health of people and Puget Sound," Constantine said Thursday. "Even a momentary disruption in the electrical power supply can have catastrophic effects."

Catastrophic flooding in 2017 sent 235 million gallons of untreated wastewater into Puget Sound, causing an estimated $57 million in damage. Power outages early this year caused another overflow at the plant and nearby pumping stations, overflowing another 11 million gallons of untreated water.

The emergency declaration will allow for King County's Wastewater Treatment Division to complete needed upgrades more quickly, provided the funding is approved.

The executive's proposal includes $3 million to find a solution for more reliable power, including new high-voltage power lines or a battery storage system that would keep the facility fully online during outages. According to the county, West Point uses 10 megawatts of power every day, roughly equal to the needs of 11,000 houses.

In 2020, a Seattle City Light report found that providing direct, high-voltage power would fix the plant's persistent issues. The county notes its other treatment facilities, located in Renton and north of Woodinville, receive high-voltage power, and neither has experienced overflows during power outage events.

"Difficult technical issues remain to be resolved with Seattle City Light, but I am taking urgent action today to help the plant better withstand power problems, and strengthen our ability to protect water quality for generations to come," Constantine said. "I thank Seattle City Light for working with King County to ensure greater reliability and resiliency in this critical infrastructure."

Learn more about the West Point Treatment Plant on the King County website.