Post Point Wastewater Resource Recovery Project

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Consultation has concluded

The Post Point Resource Recovery project is a defining opportunity for Bellingham to support its 2018 Climate Action Plan and reduce sewer utility carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 60-80%.



We are designing future improvements at the Post Point Resource Recovery Plant (Post Point). These improvements are needed because equipment is aging, expensive to repair, and incinerates solid waste – rather than recovering reusable resources.

Earlier planning phases of the project collected feedback through community workshops. We are replacing the facility's incineration system with a digestion process that transforms wastewater solids into two reusable resources: biosolids and biogas.



What's happening now?

City Council Meeting: On July 26, 2021 the project team discussed the Post Point Resource Recovery project and emerging contaminants of concern. Check out the full video stream. As a follow-up to this conversation with City Council, the project team will conduct testing to try to better understand levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs in the city’s wastewater. Staff will also take a look at the cost and availability of testing for emerging contaminants of concern and will report their findings back to City Council.

On December 6, 2021 at 10 a.m., the project team will report the findings from the testing results for contaminants of concern to the Public Works and Natural Resources committee. More information can be found in the council packet or on the project webpage. 

Engage Bellingham survey results: Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback using the survey below. The results are now available in the Documents section on the bottom of the right side of the page. 

Updated project FAQ: Have questions about the project or want to read more about PFAs? Check out our updated project FAQ!


We want your input!

  1. Take our survey at the bottom of the page.
  2. Sign up for email updates here: https://cob.org/services/utilities/waste-water-treatment/post-point-email-updates.
  3. Visit our project page(External link) for additional materials from project milestones.
  4. Request a community briefing by entering a comment below or email ResourceRecovery@cob.org. 

Por favor, para información en Español, comunicarse con el Departamento de Obras Públicas al telefono (360) 778-7700. Gracias.


The Post Point Resource Recovery project is a defining opportunity for Bellingham to support its 2018 Climate Action Plan and reduce sewer utility carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 60-80%.



We are designing future improvements at the Post Point Resource Recovery Plant (Post Point). These improvements are needed because equipment is aging, expensive to repair, and incinerates solid waste – rather than recovering reusable resources.

Earlier planning phases of the project collected feedback through community workshops. We are replacing the facility's incineration system with a digestion process that transforms wastewater solids into two reusable resources: biosolids and biogas.



What's happening now?

City Council Meeting: On July 26, 2021 the project team discussed the Post Point Resource Recovery project and emerging contaminants of concern. Check out the full video stream. As a follow-up to this conversation with City Council, the project team will conduct testing to try to better understand levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs in the city’s wastewater. Staff will also take a look at the cost and availability of testing for emerging contaminants of concern and will report their findings back to City Council.

On December 6, 2021 at 10 a.m., the project team will report the findings from the testing results for contaminants of concern to the Public Works and Natural Resources committee. More information can be found in the council packet or on the project webpage. 

Engage Bellingham survey results: Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback using the survey below. The results are now available in the Documents section on the bottom of the right side of the page. 

Updated project FAQ: Have questions about the project or want to read more about PFAs? Check out our updated project FAQ!


We want your input!

  1. Take our survey at the bottom of the page.
  2. Sign up for email updates here: https://cob.org/services/utilities/waste-water-treatment/post-point-email-updates.
  3. Visit our project page(External link) for additional materials from project milestones.
  4. Request a community briefing by entering a comment below or email ResourceRecovery@cob.org. 

Por favor, para información en Español, comunicarse con el Departamento de Obras Públicas al telefono (360) 778-7700. Gracias.


Consultation has concluded

  • Past, present, and future of Post Point

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    The Post Point facility has been in operation for nearly 45 years, and carries out two essential and related treatment processes, liquids, and solids. In 2009, the City identified in the Comprehensive Sewer Plan a need for additional wastewater capacity at the Post Point Plant.

    In 2014, the City completed major upgrades to the liquid treatment process to improve performance, meet current regulations, and increase capacity for the future. As part of that project, future upgrades to the solid’s treatment process were planned. Wastewater solids are currently incinerated (burned) at Post Point, which emits CO2 and other contaminants into the air. Incineration uses equipment installed in the 1970s that is very expensive to maintain and repair, extremely difficult to permit, and burns, rather than recovers resources.

    In 2017, planning work was resumed to determine the best way to update the solids treatment process. The City used an evaluation process that looked at several options and measured the environmental, social, financial, and technical benefits of each option. After gathering input from the community on the options and the evaluation, the City has decided to implement a digestion-based solution. Digestion essentially replicates what your stomach does to food, using microbes and heat to break down solids to produce biosolids and biogas. The biosolids will be treated to meet the highest standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so they can be used to create a soil additive, like a fertilizer, for the community’s us.

    Liquid process of waste water remains unchanged. Wastewaters from from sources such as kitchens and bathrooms, travels to the Post Point Treatment Plan, is cleaned, then travels to Bellingham Bay. Currently, Solid waste from wastewater is incinerated. Our new plan is to recycle this waste by cleaning it and processing it into biosolids.Liquid and solid process at Post Point


    The Post Point facility has been in operation for nearly 45 years, and carries out two essential and related treatment processes, liquids, and solids. In 2009, the City identified in the Comprehensive Sewer Plan a need for additional wastewater capacity at the Post Point Plant.

    In 2014, the City completed major upgrades to the liquid treatment process to improve performance, meet current regulations, and increase capacity for the future. As part of that project, future upgrades to the solid’s treatment process were planned. Wastewater solids are currently incinerated (burned) at Post Point, which emits CO2 and other contaminants into the air. Incineration uses equipment installed in the 1970s that is very expensive to maintain and repair, extremely difficult to permit, and burns, rather than recovers resources.

    In 2017, planning work was resumed to determine the best way to update the solids treatment process. The City used an evaluation process that looked at several options and measured the environmental, social, financial, and technical benefits of each option. After gathering input from the community on the options and the evaluation, the City has decided to implement a digestion-based solution. Digestion essentially replicates what your stomach does to food, using microbes and heat to break down solids to produce biosolids and biogas. The biosolids will be treated to meet the highest standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so they can be used to create a soil additive, like a fertilizer, for the community’s us.

    Liquid process of waste water remains unchanged. Wastewaters from from sources such as kitchens and bathrooms, travels to the Post Point Treatment Plan, is cleaned, then travels to Bellingham Bay. Currently, Solid waste from wastewater is incinerated. Our new plan is to recycle this waste by cleaning it and processing it into biosolids.Liquid and solid process at Post Point


    Consultation has concluded

  • Cost and funding

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    The current project cost estimate is over $200 million (taking into account inflation through 2023). A rate study is currently being conducted to determine the needed increases for the project. If the upgrade is paid for using only City revenue, the average rate impact is estimated to between $30-$35/month per household. The exact rate impacts over time will be developed later in the project as construction costs can change as design develops. We will share rate, cost estimate, and funding information with the community and City Council as we develop them through the project.

    The current project cost estimate is over $200 million (taking into account inflation through 2023). A rate study is currently being conducted to determine the needed increases for the project. If the upgrade is paid for using only City revenue, the average rate impact is estimated to between $30-$35/month per household. The exact rate impacts over time will be developed later in the project as construction costs can change as design develops. We will share rate, cost estimate, and funding information with the community and City Council as we develop them through the project.

    Consultation has concluded