Utilities Archives

McKenzie Street – Contaminated Site Cleanup Project

Image of the cleared McKenzie cleanup site in fall 2025

Background The site at 210 McKenzie Street, next to the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, is reserved for the facility’s long-term future expansion. Existing buildings on the site currently support maintenance and operations for the treatment plant. This property has a long history of soil and groundwater contamination. Since purchasing the site in 2006, the City has ... Read more

Post Point Emission Control Upgrades

Project Overview The Emission Control Upgrades Project (EU199) aims to enhance air quality controls for the incinerators at the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. This facility provides wastewater treatment services for the City of Bellingham through a series of advanced processes. Here, we treat and disinfect the liquid effluent before discharging it into Bellingham Bay. ... Read more

Raw Water Intake Rehabilitation Project

Crews installing the raw water intake pipe at Lake Whatcom in 1940.

The City will rehabilitate the Raw Water Intake pipe (Project EW241) located in Lake Whatcom. This submerged pipe, constructed from wood staves and secured with carbon steel bands, plays a critical role in supplying water to the Water Treatment Plant. As part of the project, crews will reinforce the pipe by adding new stainless steel ... Read more

Lower Padden Creek Water Quality Improvements

Traffic signal at intersection with trees lining the road

Project Overview The City has received a design grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to help improve water quality in the lower Padden Creek watershed. This project will redirect stormwater runoff from a 1,000-foot section of Bill McDonald Parkway, which currently flows untreated into Padden Creek. Instead, the runoff will be routed to ... Read more

Edgemoor Sewer Improvements

Project Overview This project (EU202) will make needed repairs to the wastewater (sewer) lines that currently serve the Edgemoor Neighborhood. Most of the wastewater lines run through the backyards of homes, making access for maintenance and repairs difficult. Most of these wastewater lines were installed in the 1950s and are deteriorating and/or partially blocked. This ... Read more

Post Point Resource Recovery Plant Emergency Generator Replacement

This project will replace the existing emergency power generator units at the Post Point Treatment Plant to provide backup power to the facility during power outages or other electricity service disruptions. This project ensures that this important facility can reliably continue to function in treating wastewater and protecting the environment without interruption.