Water Treatment Plant in Anacortes, Washington

Climate change is already affecting the Pacific NorthWest, forcing citizens and policymakers into action to mitigate or adapt to the effects. As a result the effects of natural weather processes become more extreme. These include rising sea levels and floods which are a result from glaciers melting due as well as the sea expanding its volume from the increasing temperatures.

The results of these effects are a particular risk to the water treatment plant in Anacortes, WA due to its construction on a floodplain along the Skagit river.

During the year 2008 the water treatment plant was determined to be vulnerable to the effects of climate change leading to the conclusion that the facility had to be updated. Continuing their normal operations without addressing the effects would have led to a loss of freshwater that served 56,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Through cooperation between Anacortes officials along with non-profit organizations the water treatment plant’s vulnerability and the associated impacts to the plant siting was determined allowing the facility to be rebuilt in 2013. However while the majority of issues were resolved saltwater intrusion, as well as increased sedimentation levels remained a complication.

In terms of saltwater intrusion the best solution available would be the construction of a protection dam for salt wedge intrusion or cut-off wall, which can inhibit saltwater penetration. However this may cause a change in the surrounding environment as well. Options to prevent or reduce the sediment load include the use of warping which is the diverting of sediment-laden water onto agricultural land as well as influencing the force of the river.

Due to the expected increase in the sediment load from the river along with salinity levels this would likely require the participation of Anacortes officials and the non-profit organizations that were previously cooperated with in rebuilding the water treatment plant to focus towards reduction activities which would require measures for direct control and flow reduction of the river. The costs for federal and non-federal dams have been averaged through other options would be dependent on the location and the type of material used during the management or construction. Though by incorporating flexibility and adaptability within the implementation strategy a more efficient and cost effective reduction planning solution will facilitate over time.