‘We still brace ourselves, but now we can breathe easier’: Operators at West Point Treatment Plant credit new battery system for delivering reliable power during its first year

What began as an award-winning engineering marvel is now an operational success. The onsite battery system we installed at West Point Treatment Plant is delivering exactly what we promised: providing reliable power that protects Puget Sound, even when our region experiences catastrophic weather events.

Protecting our ancestral waters from untreated wastewater is fundamental to a healthy and thriving ecosystem. Tribal members — as well as the greater community — should be able to access the Salish Sea without having to worry if it's contaminated. It's a relief to learn that the improvements made at the West Point Treatment Plant are working, and we appreciate King County’s investment in the infrastructure needed to prevent future spills.

A storm system may be out of our control, but being ready to respond to a storm isn’t. In its first year, the Power Quality Improvement Project at West Point has responded to unexpected power interruptions and proven its ability to keep power supplies consistent and our waters clean. This is a benefit to the entire Puget Sound region, and all the animals and people who call it home.

This is one of the most successful local infrastructure projects I’ve seen in a long time and shows what government can do when we act with urgency and creativity. Protecting our water — for the health of our people, wildlife, and future—is one of our most important responsibilities and I am thrilled that we have this new capacity to fulfill that responsibility.

The onsite battery system provides us a peace of mind and allows operators to focus on other response efforts when the plant experiences power disruptions. I had my doubts at first, but after seeing how it’s worked — and what it’s helped us avoid — I’m a believer.

Our trained operators take pride in our work, protecting public health and the environment for our community. Power outages used to be completely out of our control, until a year ago. When it’s windy and the lights flicker, we still brace ourselves, but now we can breathe easier knowing that the Power Quality Facility will help keep our pumps running.

The reliable onsite battery system is the latest in a series of successful projects that have made the Puget Sound region’s largest treatment plant safer, more reliable, and more resilient to climate impacts. Our workforce has consistently demonstrated the ingenuity needed to modernize critical infrastructure.

The Power Quality Facility exemplifies the positive impact we can make to clean water by investing in our regional wastewater infrastructure. This project is one of dozens underway across our service area that are modernizing our wastewater system to be resilient to climate impacts and meet our communities’ needs for decades to come.