Excellence in effluent.

The Bainbridge Island Wastewater Treatment Plant has once again garnered praise from the Washington state Department of Ecology.

City officials said the agency’s Northwest Regional Office has recognized Bainbridge Island for the exceptional performance of wastewater treatment.

It’s the fourth consecutive year the city has earned Ecology’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Award.

“It is most rewarding to receive this award four years in a row. The treatment team works hard to keep the system operating,” said wastewater treatment plant operator Steve Pyke.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant Award recognizes the city’s compliance with effluent limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, spill prevention planning and overall operational demands of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

“I am extremely proud of the wastewater treatment plant operators and the work they continue to do to make sure our treatment plant is operating in full compliance with the NPDES permit,” said City Manager Doug Schulze.

“In addition, the plant operators have demonstrated a commitment to stewardship by initiating several improvements to reduce annual operating costs, which continue to reduce costs for ratepayers.”

Bainbridge Island is one of 111 treatment plants statewide that achieved full compliance with its NPDES permit in 2017.