Town RV dump station to close May 20

The Town of Friday Harbor shares news about the upcoming permanent closure of its RV dump station.

The Town of Friday Harbor will permanently close its RV sewage dump station on Friday, May 20. Residents and visitors will need to find alternative means of disposal.

“This closure is required for the protection of our wastewater treatment plant, and thereby the protection of our marine environment,” said Town Administrator Denice Kulseth, adding that the Town has a responsibility to ensure its wastewater treatment plant continues to operate efficiently in order to protect the fragile waters of Puget Sound. Kulseth said the state Department of Ecology has been urging this closure for several years and has advised that it would be wise to close the dump station before summer. New permitting requirements including the Puget Sound Nutrient General Permit have added to the urgency.

“The close proximity of an unregulated dump station to the treatment plant creates considerable risk for a serious impact to our plant,” said Kulseth, explaining that there is too little distance to allow dilution of dangerous contaminants before they enter the treatment system.

To allow users time to arrange for alternative means of disposal, the RV dump station will remain available from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays through May 20. Users must pay a $20 dump fee and place a $20 deposit at Town Hall to pick up a key. Commercial use of the station is limited.

The removal of the dump station is a small part of changes the Town is making at the plant to ensure compliance with more stringent state permitting regulations. A two to three year, $16 million upgrade to the Town’s wastewater plant is scheduled to begin later this year.

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