Brightwater Earns ‘Best Project’ Honors in Regional Engineering Competition

An independent jury of engineering professionals has selected King County’s Brightwater Project as one of the Northwest’s best achievements in design and construction for 2012.

“The award represents a tremendous honor for the talented team of county employees, contractors and skilled tradespeople who contributed to Brightwater’s project success,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.  

In a regional competition sponsored by Engineering News Record magazine, King County and its contractors earned a “Best Project” award in the Civil Works/Infrastructure category for the successful completion of the Brightwater Treatment Plant north of Woodinville. The jury selection focused on projects that overcame significant challenges; adopted innovative approaches; executed exceptional design and craftsmanship; and maintained safe sites.

Brightwater will compete with other projects at the national level this fall.

CH2MHill led the treatment plant pre-design with sub-consultants Brown & Caldwell, Mithun Architects, Hargreaves and Associates and many others.

Hoffman Construction served as the General Contractor/Construction Manager and Kiewit was later brought in to build the solids facility under a traditional design-bid-build contract.

One of Brightwater’s most significant features is the advanced treatment technology that will produce an effluent 70 percent cleaner than conventional wastewater technologies. The treatment facilities were also built to meet or exceed some of the region’s most stringent seismic safety codes.

Brightwater’s 114-acre plant campus features a number of amenities, including a LEED® Platinum-certified education and community center, 70 acres of open space and restored wildlife habitat, and three miles of publicly accessible trails.

Construction on the Brightwater project began in 2006. Designed to treat 36 million gallons of wastewater a day, the plant has been operating since September 2011.

To learn more about the Brightwater project, please visit www.kingcounty.gov/brightwater.

The county’s Wastewater Treatment Division serves 17 cities, 17 local sewer districts and more than 1.5 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

--Information from King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks