Failure Caused Up to $57M in Damage to Sewer Treatment Plant

In this March 16, 2017, photo, Robert Waddle, division operations manager at the West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle, stands near a closed valve next to empty pools normally used to remove grit and other solids from sewage and storm water. An analysis released Friday, May 19, 2017, said equipment failures caused between $49 million and $57 million of damage at the state’s largest sewage treatment plant. (Ted S. Warren / AP)

SEATTLE (AP) – An analysis said equipment failures caused between $49 million and $57 million of damage at the state’s largest sewage treatment plant.

KING-TV reported the analysis was released Friday related to damage at the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Seattle.

The King County Wastewater Treatment Division said the repair costs are expected to be covered by property insurance and won’t impact county sewer rates in 2017-2018.

King County will be responsible for a $250,000 deductible.

Insurance is not expected to cover potential regulatory fines or additional environmental monitoring.

The treatment plant experienced a historic breach Feb. 9 when an equipment failure caused millions of gallons of raw sewage and untreated runoff to flow into Puget Sound.

The Seattle Times reported Wednesday was the first 24-hour sampling period of the West Point Treatment plant’s discharge to Puget Sound that showed full compliance with its state and federal environmental permits.

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