Burlington Treatment Wastewater Plant | Burlington, Washington

Burlington Treatment is a municipal wastewater facility located at 900 South Section Street in Burlington, Skagit County, Washington. It serves a population of approximately 9,074 residents in this Pacific Northwest community. The plant is situated within 50 kilometers of the coast, reflecting the region's proximity to Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. As a US facility serving a medium-sized agglomeration, Burlington Treatment operates under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit framework. This regulatory regime requires secondary treatment as a baseline, with additional nutrient removal standards in sensitive watersheds. The plant's designed capacity is 1.00 million gallons per day, indicating a scale appropriate for its service population. The treated effluent from Burlington Treatment discharges into the Skagit River basin, which flows westward through the Skagit Valley before emptying into Skagit Bay, part of the Puget Sound estuary. This watershed supports critical salmon runs and diverse aquatic habitats. The plant's performance is essential for protecting downstream water quality in this ecologically productive region.

Burlington Treatment discharges into the Skagit River watershed, which drains into Skagit Bay and ultimately the Puget Sound. This estuarine environment supports Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other species of ecological and cultural significance. The plant's location within 50 km of the coast means its effluent can influence nearshore marine conditions, making nutrient management and treatment efficacy important for preserving the health of this productive ecosystem.