In today’s world
where water pollution is one of the biggest modern day problem, conserving it
becomes a matter of prime importance. An unconventional yet effective way of
conservation may be reusing water after proper treatment. A similar initiative
is undertaken in Washington by the Brightwater Sewage treatment plant.
Brightwater
is a 114-acre (46 ha) state-of-the-art facility using industry-leading technology to create
clean water with vastly reduced by-products, that went online on November
2,2012.The
forerunner of the sewage plant was a 13-mile (21 km), 17.5-foot (5.3 m)
diameter tunnel which supplies sewage to the plant.
Brightwater protects
water quality and prevents water pollution by providing wastewater treatment to 17 cities
and 17 local sewer utilities. It serves about 1.5
million people, including most urban areas of King County and parts of south
Snohomish County and northeast Pierce County.
Sustainable
elements of the community centre building Brightwater include:
- Re-use of existing on-site and salvaged materials when possible;
- Use of recycled materials;
- Natural ventilation and daylighting;
- Energy efficient lighting;
- Energy Star appliances;
- Radiant floor heating from the treatment plant’s thermal energy
production;
- Washington-made solar
panels ;
- Green building features will be used as teaching tools;
- Reclaimed water used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
Since the proposal of this project
Brightwater has faced numerous lawsuits, including a lawsuit by
King County against Snohomish County that was settled when King County agreed
to pay $70 million for public safety, habitat protection, and parks in
Snohomish County.
There were complaints regarding smells associated with sewage
treatment and geologists due to at least one active fault line running through
the site. Brightwater countered these concerns by stating the plant will
feature advanced odour control, 40 acres (160,000 m2) of
wildlife habitat will be restored, the plant has been designed to withstand a
7.3 magnitude earthquake,
and that the project will be paid by new customers.[
Brightwater Centre earned Platinum
level certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard.
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