Crossposted from Clean Water Stories

What do whales and wastewater treatment have in common? A visit to Brightwater Treatment Plant in Woodinville explains it all.

Inside the wastewater treatment plant, giant baleen-like filters are on rare display as King County Wastewater Treatment Division staff begin replacing the plant’s 48 membrane-filtration modules. Brightwater’s state-of-the-art membrane filtration system filters out bacteria and viruses from wastewater – much like whale baleen – as a last step in cleaning water before it’s piped to Puget Sound.

This is the first time Brightwater is replacing its membrane modules since the plant came online in 2011 to serve various Eastside towns. The work will stretch for three years and won’t be replaced again for another 10 to 20 years. Read more.