Everett water pollution facility's new permit aims to protect salmon

EVERETT — The state Department of Ecology last month cleared the way for Everett’s Water Pollution Control Facility to better monitor chemicals harming Chinook salmon.

In 2027, the wastewater control facility, located on Smith Island along the Snohomish River, will start monitoring water coming into the plant for polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, under a water quality permit issued Nov. 21. The increased monitoring aims to track how effective the facility is at reducing PBDE chemicals found in flame retardant.

The five-year permit will go into effect Jan. 1.

In 2019, state Department of Fish and Wildlife officials notified city staff they had found high concentrations of PBDEs in the Snohomish River, especially near the facility. State biologists determined PBDE levels were roughly 1½ times higher than levels fish can tolerate before their health is affected. The chemicals harm juvenile Chinook by weakening their immune systems and affecting hormone production.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/everett-water-pollution-facilitys-new-permit-aims-to-protect-salmon/