Tacoma Wastewater Treatment
Tacoma’s Wastewater programs emphasize sustainability and innovative recycling to maintain the natural marine ecosystem that's so important to Tacoma. What is likely Tacoma Wastewater’s best known innovative program? The answer to that is probably the production of TAGRO.
TAGRO is short for “Tacoma Grow” - Tacoma Wastewater’s award-winning, environmentally friendly products that can enhance your lawn and garden while reusing community resources and protect our environment. Proven safe and effective – and awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s highest rating for use in landscaping and gardens – all-natural TAGRO products are made from a blend of pasteurized wastewater byproducts called biosolids and other weed-free gardening components.
Tacoma consumers have been using TAGRO Mix in landscaping and gardens since 1991. This nitrogen rich soil amendment will help gardens grow faster, lawns grow thicker, and trees grow taller! Other TAGRO products include Potting Soil, Topsoil and Aged Black Bark.
The EnviroHouse uses and 💚’s TAGRO! To learn more about TAGRO, visit Tacoma Wastewater Treatment for contacts, links, videos, and more information.
BIOGAS is the latest Wastewater sustainable innovation, celebrated this past summer. In 2022, Tacoma’s Central Treatment Plant completed a major upgrade allowing the facility to produce and capture cleaner-burning biogas from the decomposition of organic waste, i.e., household sewage. Known as Renewable Natural Gas or RNG, this cleaner fuel will eliminate over 900 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year and can be used to fuel Tacoma’s Solid Waste collection trucks in the future. Learn more about the biogas contribution at Tacoma Climate Action Plan.
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Did You Know? Tacoma’s Wastewater Management
Division operates two wastewater treatment plants, maintains more than 700 miles of sewer pipe and 50 pump stations to move wastewater flow through the sewer lines, serves more than 90,000 customers, and cleans billions of gallons of wastewater each year.
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All the water and waste effluent that goes down the drain from sinks, dishwashers, laundry, showers, tubs and toilets becomes wastewater that flows through sewer pipes and pump stations to the wastewater treatment plant, where it is treated before being released into Commencement Bay. Knowing how the wastewater collection system works and what to do or not do, can help maintain your system, avoid costly repairs and help protect our environment.
To Flush or Not to Flush?
It’s simple! Just toilet paper and human waste.
Most items marketed disposable and/or flushable do not degrade like toilet paper, so when a product says it’s flushable, it probably isn’t unless it’s TP. Examples of what NOT to flush include facial tissues, paper towels, napkins, sanitary napkins, baby wipes, floss, hair, oils, grease, food items, vitamins and medicines.
WHY? Non-degradable items clog pipes, tangle pumps and cause messy sewer backups in the system or at your home. The side sewers are drains that connect your home to the main sewer, are yours to maintain, are only big enough to carry water, toilet paper and human waste, and are often no wider than 4 inches.
The best way to avoid backups is to follow the advice above, avoid purchasing non-flushable items, and dispose of those purchased in the garbage. Not sure of an item? Visit the Tacoma Wastewater website for more suggestions and information, including how to do a Flushability Test. Also check the Tacoma Solid Waste website for ways to dispose of cooking oils, medicines and other items.
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