Reclaimed Water Facilities

The reclaimed water facility at LOTT's Budd Inlet Treatment Plant was the first of LOTT's planned reclaimed water facilities to be completed. In addition, LOTT's 20-year plan calls for construction of three satellite reclaimed water treatment plants located throughout the Lacey-Olympia-Tumwater urban area. As currently planned, each satellite would initially be built to treat at least one million gallons per day (mgd) and be expandable up to five mgd. Building the satellites in small increments is intended to allow "just-in-time" construction to meet future wastewater treatment capacity needs.

Budd Inlet Reclaimed Water Plant

The Budd Inlet Reclaimed Water Plant features a continuously back-flushing sand filter system, cleaning the water to meet Washington State's Class A Reclaimed Water standards. This reclaimed water can be beneficially used in the Downtown Olympia area instead of being released into the marine waters of Budd Inlet. The facility can produce up to one million gallons per day (mgd).

The City of Olympia Water Utility provides distribution services for reclaimed water from the facility at the Budd Inlet Plant. Current uses include:

• Irrigation at the State's Heritage Park and Marathon Park
• Irrigation at City park facilities along Percival Landing
• Irrigation, equipment washdown, boat washing, dust suppression, and a constructed pond at the Port of Olympia
• Irrigation, pumpseals, and cleaning at the Budd Inlet Treatment Plant
• Cleaning of the pump house and wetwell at LOTT's Capitol Lake Pump Station

Hawks Prairie Reclaimed Water Satellite

Construction of LOTT's second reclaimed water facility was completed in 2006, with operational testing and refinements continuing into 2007. The Satellite was built as three separate construction projects, with a total construction cost of over $30 million. The three segments included:

• The Martin Way Reclaimed Water Plant – 3.38-acre site on a major commercial thoroughfare;
• Conveyance Pipelines – 3 miles of purple-coded pipe to transport the reclaimed water from the Plant to the Ponds and Recharge site; and
• Constructed Wetland Ponds/Groundwater Recharge Basins – 41-acre site located on Hogum Bay Road.

The Martin Way Reclaimed Water Plant, located on Martin Way E in Lacey, will initially produce 2 million gallons per day (mgd) of reclaimed water, and will be expandable to 5 mgd. This membrane bioreactor system will produce Class A Reclaimed Water to serve portions of Lacey and Olympia. The Cities could be distributing water to users in 2007.

At the Hawks Prairie Ponds/Recharge Basins site, the Class A Reclaimed Water circulates through a series of five constructed wetland ponds, containing about 225,000 wetland plants. The ponds provide opportunities for public education, recognition, and acceptance of reclaimed water. Four large kiosks provide interpretive displays about reclaimed water, groundwater recharge, and natural features of the site. As the featured attraction is in a park-like setting, with walking trails and benches, the ponds also serve as an amenity for the surrounding area by offering visitors the opportunity to view and enjoy a wide variety of animals, birds, and aquatic life.

Water from the constructed wetland ponds flows to the rectangular groundwater recharge basins. From there, the water infiltrates through the soils to a shallow underground aquifer.

Chambers Prairie Reclaimed Water Satellite Project

The Chambers Prairie Reclaimed Water Project will provide the second set of satellite wastewater treatment facilities under LOTT's Wastewater Resource Management Plan. The project will include a reclaimed water satellite treatment plant, groundwater recharge basins, associated distribution pipelines, and areas where Class A Reclaimed Water can be beneficially used. As was done for siting of LOTT's first Reclaimed Water Treatment Plant and Wetland Ponds/ Groundwater Recharge Basins in the Lacey and Hawks Prairie area, LOTT will be taking several steps to thoroughly evaluate site alternatives, so that well-informed decisions can be made. Steps will include:

• Preliminary hydrogeologic investigation – This is now in process and will continue for several more months. LOTT's consultants are gathering available hydrogeologic information from various sources to help further identify the most viable groundwater recharge options.
• Property agreements – LOTT will need to secure access to one or more parcels in order to complete final evaluations. This may involve access agreements, options, leasing, purchase, or other measures.
• Pilot recharge testing and groundwater modeling – One or more pilot recharge cells will be constructed for the purpose of testing selected area(s) that appear most promising. For the test, groundwater from local wells will be used. Monitoring wells will be constructed to monitor volume, groundwater depth, flow direction, rate of flow, and distance. This will allow us to confirm where the water is really going.
• Environmental Evaluation – LOTT will be required to complete a full environmental evaluation under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and LOTT's own Environmental Rules. Steps involved will include one or more public workshops, preparation of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), a public hearing, receipt of written public comments, and production of a Final SEIS. That process is under way for the potential plant site. Another process will be needed for groundwater recharge basins and pipeline routes, once potential sites are known.
• Final site selection(s) – Based on findings of the Final SEIS, LOTT will make its final site selection(s) for the plant and the recharge basins.
• Conditional use permitting – LOTT will need to apply to the City of Lacey for a Conditional Use Permit to build a satellite reclaimed water plant. That process includes further public comment opportunities.