The Future of Wastewater Treatment Series: Seattle, WA

This article is part of our feature on the future of wastewater in the U.S.’s fastest growing metro areas. We’re using the Transcend Design Generator to automatically build, expand, or upgrade regional wastewater treatment systems in each of these regions.

Seattle and Tacoma, with their respective King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, are well known for their bustling metropolitan landscapes and robust wastewater treatment infrastructures. However……for this exercise, we’re venturing to the far reaches of Washington state to the small town of Forks, nestled within Clallam County. This locale, perhaps best recognized for its starring role in the Twilight saga, may not top the list of population growth, with Clallam County ranking 535th, but it has seen a slow and steady increase over the years.

In anticipation of further growth, and an influx of Twilight fans during peak tourist season, we are planning to design a compact, efficient wastewater treatment plant for Forks. The plant will be designed to serve an estimated population of 4,000 residents, with significant capacity to handle peak loads.

Given that Washington state’s regulations require the use of 120 gallons per bedroom per day for single-family residences, we’ve decided to use a more conservative estimate of 80 gallons per person per day for our plant design. This figure takes into consideration the unique population dynamics of Forks, including its small resident population and occasional tourist surges. For peak capacity, we’re planning for a four-fold increase to accommodate the influx of Twilight enthusiasts, ensuring that even during the busiest times, Forks’ wastewater treatment needs are well met.

We hope this nice plant near the Mill Creek will once be a reality!

If you’d like to see the full design package for this treatment plant, send us a note at info@transcendinfra.com or contact us here and a member of our team will share it with you!

If you enjoyed this piece you may also want to read about the future of wastewater in San Francisco.