Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Equipment was damaged when power restored
Walker Park is still closed to recreational shellfish harvesting after the City of Shelton's wastewater treatment plant deposited contaminants in Hammersley Inlet on Dec. 18 during a power outage caused by a storm.
The City of Shelton's wastewater treatment plant lost power during a major storm Dec. 18, which led to contaminants seeping into Hammersley Inlet and closing some shellfish growing areas.
"The issue that occurred at the wastewater treatment plant (WTTP) was that an internal transfer switch did not engage our backup source (generator) when the power went out during the storm," Aaron Nix, the city's assistant public works director, wrote to the Journal on Monday. "The power was out at the main plant for approximately 45 minutes during the incident. A subsequent power surge, when the power came back on, damaged some of the electronic components used in operating the WWTP.
"Our crews have been working at the plant 24/7 since the power failure occurred to get all systems back online at the plant, while still treating wastewater in compliance with regulatory standards. Parts are being shipped to resolve the last remaining issues as we speak and will be installed as soon as they arrive."
As of Tuesday, Walker Park remains closed to the harvesting of clams, mussels and oysters, according to the state Department of Health.
"The beach is within the closure of a sewage treatment plant outfill and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting," the department states.
The wastewater treatment plant cleanses about 848 million gallons of water each year.
When water flows down a sink or toilet drain into the city's sewer lines, it eventually ends up at the wastewater treatment plant for processing. During treatment, organic solids are extracted and the remaining wastewater is run through digesters with microorganisms that destroy most of the disease-causing bacteria. The wastewater then passes through powerful ultraviolet sterilizers that eliminate any remaining bacteria before it is safely returned to the environment.
According to the city's website, employees conduct multiple tests at both plants on a daily, monthly and yearly basis to verify the city meets or exceeds state requirements and regulations, in order to prevent discharge into Oakland Bay and to ensure the safe discharge of reclaimed water to customers.
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