King County permits (NPDES, reclaimed water) for treating and conveying water resources and compliance recognition
King County conveys treated water to Puget Sound and to recycled water beneficial uses from its regional wastewater conveyance and treatment system under permits issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and King County Department of Health.
View more photos on our Flickr site .
Document library
Contact us
Please contact Wastewater Treatment Division NPDES administrator Jeff Lafer at
206-477-6315.
Other NPDES permits held by King County
Ecology administers NPDES permits under authority delegated to the department by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These permits outline the conditions under which King County can discharge treated wastewater.
Brightwater Treatment Plant: WA0032247, expires February 28, 2023
South Treatment Plant: WA0029581, expires July 31, 2020
West Point Treatment Plant: WA0029181, expires January 1, 2020
Carnation Treatment Plant: WA0032182, expires October 31, 2026
- Facility summary
- Permit (includes reclaimed water)
- Fact sheet
Vashon Treatment Plant: WA0022527, expires Feb. 28, 2022
- Facility summary
- Permit
- Fact sheet
- Note: the Beulah Park wastewater treatment system, located on Vashon Island, is a large on-site sewage system (LOSS) and operates under a permit from the State Department of Health, permit # KIN005 . This permit is renewed on an annual basis in October of each year.
Learn more about reclaimed water .
Note: if the permit links below do not work, then go to the water quality permitting and reporting information system on the Department of Ecology website and enter the plant name or permit number.
Brightwater Treatment Plant: ST0045498, expires April 30, 2024
South Treatment Plant: ST7445, expires July 31, 2020
Carnation Treatment Plant: expires Dec 31, 2018
- Combined with NPDES permit above
National Association of Clean Water Agencies' (NACWA) Peak Performance Awards program recognizes NACWA member agency facilities for excellence in wastewater treatment as measured by their compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
- South Treatment Plant: Platinum 21
- West Point Treatment Plant: Gold
- Brightwater Treatment Plant: Gold
- Carnation Treatment Plant: Silver
- Vashon Treatment Plant: Platinum 8
To date, South Treatment Plant has attained 21 years of 100 percent permit compliance, and Vashon Treatment Plant has attained 8 years of compliance.
Note: also covered under these permits is the industrial pretreatment program administered by King County. That program is responsible for approving permits for discharges of industrial waste into the sewer system and the management and enforcement of such permits.