Park Place Stormwater Facility Rebuild

​​Project Overview: EV155​

This project retrofits the City of Bellingham’s Park Place Sand Filter Facility to significantly increase the facility’s ability to remove phosphorus from stormwater runoff. The reconstructed Park Place facility will treat roughly 105 acres of mixed development and forested area within the Lake Whatcom Watershed. The project will improve the phosphorus treatment by utilizing cutting-edge technology, Phosphorus Optimized Stormwater Treatment (POST) Media. The POST media is approved for General Level Use Designation (GULD) for basic treatment and phosphorus treatment by the Department of Ecology.

This system will achieve large gains in the City’s phosphorus reduction efforts, as required by the Department of Ecology as part of the Lake Whatcom Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plan developed by the City and approved by Ecology. This retrofit will increase water quality treatment for runoff into Lake Whatcom.  When completed in conjunction with other Water Quality Treatment projects in the watershed, the last remaining untreated runoff from areas inside City limits will receive treatment prior to discharge into Lake Whatcom.

The City will continue to monitor the water quality at Park Place to check the performance of the system and hopefully achieve GULD for enhanced treatment.

The project is funded by the Department of Ecology Stormwater Financial Assistance Program (SFAP), City of Bellingha​m Watershed Fund, City of Bellingham Storm and Surface Water Utility.

Project Status – June 2023

Accomplishments: The POST media has received General Use Level Designation (GULD) for basic treatment and phosphorus. Construction is complete and in the warranty period.

Next Milestone: The City is hoping to achieve GULD for enhanced treatment in addition to basic and phosphorus treatment.  

Project Details

  • Status ​- Complete (warranty period)
  • Contract Awarded – 4/12/2021
  • Contract Amount  – $1,674,175.03
  • Contractor – Boss Construction
  • Vicinity Map 

Contact

​Aric Smathers, PE
Phone: (360) 778-7942
Email: arsmathers@cob.org​

Participating Departments

Affected Neighborhoods

Similar Projects by Topic