The City of Sequim Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) has received a Wastewater Treatment Plant Outstanding Performance Award for 2023 from the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE).

It is the fifth consecutive year that the city has received the honor.

The Sequim Water Reclamation Facility received the award for achieving full compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Only 118 systems out of approximately 300 received the award in 2023.

The Department of Ecology evaluates wastewater treatment plants in Washington for their compliance with effluent limits, monitoring and reporting requirements, spill prevention planning, pre-treatment and overall operational demands of the NPDES permit.

“Wastewater treatment plants provide critical services to our communities and yet we often don’t think about wastewater unless something goes wrong, “ said Vincent McGowan, water quality program manager for the Washington State Department of Ecology, in a news release

“While the work of wastewater treatment operators is often out of the public view, they deserve a very public ‘thank you’ for their hard work in serving their communities and protecting water quality.”