Clark Regional Wastewater District (District) is a recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Performance Award from the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology).
The annual award recognizes operators of wastewater treatment facilities for achieving excellent compliance with their water quality permits.
The award was issued for the Salmon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Ridgefield Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facilities are owned by the Discovery Clean Water Alliance (Alliance) and are operated by the District. The Alliance is a partnership consisting of Clark County, the Clark Regional Wastewater District, and the cities of Battle Ground and Ridgefield.
The Salmon Creek and Ridgefield facilities each operate under an individual permit from Ecology, which is commonly referred to as an NPDES permit (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System).
Ecology issues wastewater discharge permits to regulate direct discharges to surface water from wastewater treatment facilities and manage how wastewater enters the environment. The permits are issued under state surface water quality standards and the federal Clean Water Act.
The Salmon Creek and Ridgefield treatment plants are two out of 118 plants across Washington state that received this recognition.
To qualify for the award, the wastewater treatment plants had to satisfy Ecology’s permit conditions, such as regularly meeting numeric effluent limits, conducting monitoring, and reporting data in a timely manner.
The Salmon Creek Treatment Plant has served the community for more than 40 years. In 2023, the plant safely received and treated 8 to 12 million gallons per day of wastewater.
The plant serves more than 125,000 residents and businesses throughout unincorporated Clark County, the City of Battle Ground, and a portion of the City of Ridgefield. The Salmon Creek facility has received this award more than 20 times.
The Ridgefield Treatment Plant has served the community for more than 60 years. In 2023, the plant safely received and treated approximately 300,000 gallons per day of wastewater from residents and businesses in the City of Ridgefield. The Ridgefield facility has received this award more than five times.
