Expansion of Wastewater Treatment Facility means closure of Sumner recycling center

As the construction on the newly expanded Sumner Wastewater Treatment Facility continues, this means a change for Sumner residents and their recycling habits.

“We started to take a closer look at the future of State Street, and the recycling center no longer fit well,” said Carmen Palmer, the city’s communications director. “With the parking lot being used for not only the recycling center but the Sumner Link Trail and the Sumner Grow soil kiosk, it started to get really tight.”

After researching, the city found that about a mile away, off of East Main in Puyallup, was another recycling center.

DM Disposal curbside recycling in Sumner will see no change. The recycling center collects glass, something DM Disposal doesn’t collect. The Sumner recycling center closed in June.

“This way, it will serve citizens better,” Palmer said. “With the Wastewater Treatment Facility’s parking lot being used as the trail head for the Sumner Link trail, a restroom will also be added as well.”

The recent growth in population to the Sumner business community and population in Bonney Lake, the Wastewater Treatment expansion is a much needed addition.

“It will allow for an increase in sewage capacity in Sumner and Bonney Lake, and will provide additional parking,” said Assistant City Engineer Andrew Leach.

The project should be completed by the end of the year, Leach said.

“It’s a pretty major project,” Palmer said. “Our treatment facility serves both Bonney Lake and Sumner. Our facility routinely wins awards, so we are expanding to not only increase the quantity but the quality as well.”

Construction also means that the Sumner Grow soil amendment shed is temporarily closed. Sumner Grow is a humus that is created from the biosolids, which are created from wastewater treatment. Once construction is completed, the biosolid will return to its normal location by the Wastewater Treatment facility.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Expansion of Wastewater Treatment Facility means closure of Sumner recycling center."