Birch Bay Water and Sewer District

By Robert Brown

In 2006, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District completed an extension of the public sewer system s to serve the Birch Bay View Community neighborhood.

This area consists of 160 parcels, of which 117 were developed and served by onsite septic systems (OSSs) at the beginning of the project in 2003. The OSSs were failing, exposing local residents to health risks and causing potential area-wide environmental problems.

The district secured a Community Development Block Grant of $850,000 and a state Public Works Board-low interest (0.5 percent) loan of $897,000 to help make the project more affordable for property owners, many of whom had low to moderate incomes. As of November 2003, 97 percent of the developed properties had hooked up to the new sewers.

The Department of Ecology recognized the district with an “Outstanding Wastewater Treatment Plant Award” for the 2005 operating year, making it seven years in a row the District has received this honor.

The Department of Ecology stated that Birch Bay’s Point Whitehorn Wastewater Treatment Plant was among 46 Wastewater Treatment Plants in Washington to receive the recognition this year and one of just two facilities statewide to be recognized with this award the past seven consecutive years.

The district also completed rehabilitation of pump station #3. This pump station, located near Birch Bay Drive and Maple Street, is the district’s main station for pumping sanitary wastewater to the treatment plant.
The project replaced the below ground station with a building, which has enhanced reliability by protecting electrical components from condensation and flooding. In addition, new pumps have increased pumping capacity by 30 percent.