Boston Harbor WWTF - Secondary Treatment Plant in Olympia, Washington

Boston Harbor WWTF is a municipal wastewater treatment facility located in Olympia, Washington, serving a small population of 616 residents. The plant provides secondary treatment, a standard level for communities of this size under the U.S. Clean Water Act, which requires secondary treatment for most municipal discharges. The plant has a designed capacity of 204.41 million gallons per year and currently discharges 170.34 million gallons annually. As a coastal facility within 10 km of the Pacific Ocean, it operates under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which sets effluent limits to protect marine water quality. The treated effluent is discharged into the waters of Puget Sound, a major estuary that supports diverse aquatic life, including salmon, orcas, and shellfish. The plant's location in the Boston Harbor area of Olympia places it within the larger Puget Sound watershed, which drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The plant discharges into Puget Sound, a large estuarine system connected to the Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca. This water body supports critical habitats for salmon, forage fish, and marine mammals. The coastal location means effluent must meet strict nutrient and pathogen limits to prevent eutrophication and protect shellfish beds, which are economically and ecologically important to the region.