The Oak Harbor Clean Water Facility was recognized as outstanding by the Washington state Department of Ecology for the first time since the new plant’s inception.

The facility joined three other Whidbey Island wastewater treatment plants in receiving the Outstanding Performance Award. In total, 109 facilities across the state were recognized.

The city of Oak Harbor last received this award in 2015, according to a press release from the city. The city’s $150 million, state-of-the-art facility near Windjammer Park first began operating in 2018.

“Oak Harbor has a great record as one of the top municipal wastewater treatment plants in Washington based on effluent limits and overall environmental compliance,” the award notification from the Department of Ecology states.

Oak Harbor Mayor Bob Severns will present the award to the staff at the Aug. 23 city council workshop meeting.

For the second year in a row, Langley’s sewage treatment plant did not receive the award because plant officials did not submit the necessary report in time for consideration, according to Randi Perry, the city’s director of public works.

“A report submittal was late because I didn’t get lab results to report before the deadline,” Perry wrote in an email.

The Coupeville treatment plant received the outstanding performance award for the 13th consecutive year, and the Holmes Harbor plant was awarded for the 17th year in a row. The Penn Cove wastewater treatment plant was also a recipient this year.