KING COUNTY, WA — Brown and Caldwell received the Water Environment Federation (WEF) Project Excellence Award for the King County, Washington, Power Quality Improvement Project at West Point Treatment Plant (WPTP).
The project provides the largest uninterruptible power supply system at a U.S. wastewater plant through an innovative battery-based solution designed to protect public health and safeguard Puget Sound. The $170 million critical infrastructure upgrade was completed in three and a half years — half the typical timeline for similar large-scale projects.
“The national recognition from WEF affirms the innovative, sustainable approach used to successfully complete the West Point Power Quality Improvement project," said Kevin Stively, Vice President, Project Delivery and Risk Manager at Brown and Caldwell. "We’re proud of our team and partners who collaborated with the King County Wastewater Treatment Division on this first-of-its-kind power quality project that will greatly benefit the Seattle region and environment for many years to come.”
Brown and Caldwell served as a collaborative partner with Jacobs, Clarity Engineering, Wagner Architects, Environmental Science Associates, True North Land Surveyors, other specialty subconsultants, and Hoffman Construction Corporation to successfully deliver this critical infrastructure upgrade that protects public health and safeguards Puget Sound.
In 2021, an emergency declaration was signed to address power disruptions at WPTP, Washington state’s largest wastewater treatment plant. The plant treats about 95 million gallons per day (MGD) of combined stormwater and wastewater, and discharges treated water into Puget Sound with a peak wet weather flow capacity of 440 MGD. But power disruptions can cause electrical equipment to protectively shut down. When this happens during heavy rain, to protect the plant from flooding, undertreated wastewater and stormwater can be diverted to Puget Sound in an emergency bypass. The Power Quality Improvement Project aimed to enhance the plant’s resilience and eliminate emergency bypasses of wastewater caused by power disruptions.
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“The Power Quality Improvement Project reflects King County’s commitment to protecting public health and the environment through forward-looking solutions," said Kamuron Gurol, Director of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division. "During its first year of service, this clean-water investment has proven its worth by keeping key equipment running during dozens of power disruptions and extreme weather, ensuring reliable and efficient operations at West Point Treatment Plant and protection of Puget Sound.”
As the prime engineering consultant, Brown and Caldwell planned, designed, engineered, and supported the construction and installation of a 16.8-megawatt battery system. This system, consisting of 48,000 battery cells, ensures continuous pump operation during power outages, preventing wastewater releases. The project was completed in September 2024. The onsite battery system was proven as a resilient solution by providing a steady power supply following a “bomb cyclone” severe weather event in November 2024.
The WEF Project Excellence Award was recently presented in Chicago, Illinois, during WEFTEC 2025, a conference for the water community. Each year at WEFTEC, WEF recognizes various individuals and organizations that contribute to the sustainability of water resources and affect the future of the world’s water. The Project Excellence Award specifically celebrates excellence and innovation in project execution within the water sector.
The WEF recognition adds to the project’s growing list of honors, including the American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC) 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards and Gold National award from the Washington ACEC Chapter.
