Home

The Facilities

Current Activities

Background / Project Library

Return to treatment plant facilities page
Return to treatment plant construction activities page

The future home of Brightwater is about 114 acres, along Route 9. The plant design will integrate landscape, architecture, wildlife habitat, engineering, art, and education. The goal is to enhance the local community and add wastewater treatment capacity for our region. The best odor control system in the United States will make sure that Brightwater will not smell.

Here are some of the design ideas currently being considered:

The Site

The amount of paved area on the site can be substantially reduced. Streams on the site that are now buried can be uncovered and returned to a more natural state.

Open Spaces

The north and west sides of the site will contain public open space, trails, streams and wildlife habitat. The open space area at the north end of the site will be enhanced and maintained as a forested area.

Treatment Plant

The plant will be tucked against the hill on the east side of the site. Between the treatment plant buildings and SR-9, open space will be created with rolling landscape, crossed by waterways and trails. This will screen the treatment plant and improve views from the street frontage.

The landscaping and waterways will slow and treat the stormwater from the site, improving the quality of water flowing to Little Bear Creek.

Conceptual site plan of the Brightwater treatment plant site. Open space areas are seen at the north and south ends of the site. The treatment facilities are clustered against the east side of the site, with extensive landscaping on the west side along SR-9. PDF version available (2.1 mg)

Tree-lined buffers and open space will make Brightwater a community asset.

Public Spaces

A community/education center may be built at Brightwater. This could be starting point for plant tours, an educational center for people of all ages, a resource for school field trips, and a place the community could use for a variety of events. Preliminary designs include facilities that could accommodate up to 100 people.

Innovation And A Commitment To Excellence

• The Brightwater plant site will be an attractive, well-designed site that people will want to visit.
• Plant site design is based on community guidelines developed by community members.
• An internationally acclaimed team of architects and designers is working on Brightwater. Their work on celebrated facilities in our area includes IslandWood on Bainbridge Island and the REI flagship store in Seattle.
• King County is committed to operating the Brightwater with no detectable odors at the property line. Stringent criteria have been established for odor prevention.

Potential environmental benefits include:

• substantially reducing the amount of paving on the site
• adding wetlands and wildlife habitat
• uncovering buried streams and watercourses on the site
• improving the quality of stormwater entering Little Bear Creek, thereby improving salmon habitat

Potential community benefits include:

• walking paths and other outdoor public areas
• a proposed community/educational center that residents, students, and visitors can use
• trees, landscaping, and improved views along SR 9

Return to treatment plant facilities page
Return to treatment plant construction activities page

Contact us if you need more information about Brightwater.

King County Brightwater Project

22505 State Route 9
Woodinville, WA 98072-6010
E-mail: Brightwater
Phone: 206-684-6799
TTY Relay: 711

Updated: May 16, 2007