The Washington Department of Ecology has recognized 125 wastewater treatment facilities and their operators with its 2025 Outstanding Performance Awards for meeting water quality permit requirements.

Facilities receiving the annual awards demonstrated compliance with routine water quality monitoring, reporting requirements and numeric effluent limits. The awards recognize wastewater operators for maintaining treatment systems and ensuring treated effluent meets state standards.

Three facilities received the award for the first time: Washington State Parks’ Pearrygin Lake State Park facility, LOTT Clean Water Alliance’s Martin Way Reclamation Facility and the City of Coulee City’s wastewater treatment plant.

Ten facilities have received the award for at least 11 consecutive years. The City of Port Townsend Wastewater Treatment Facility has received the recognition for 30 consecutive years, followed by Discovery Clean Water Alliance’s Salmon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant at 19 years and PUD No. 1 Klickitat County’s Klickitat Wastewater Treatment Plant at 18 years.

Jon Kenning, Ecology’s Water Quality program manager, said operators’ work often goes unnoticed but provides ongoing benefits to communities and the environment.

The award recipients receive plaques and certificates recognizing their compliance and continued operation of wastewater treatment facilities.