Closed landfill to undergo post-closure testing, and testing 3 wastewater facilities

The Board of County Commissioners awarded a $1 million contract to AMTest, Inc. on Tuesday, June 6, to conduct laboratory testing and analysis for a closed landfill and three water and wastewater facilities.

The landfill was capped and closed in April 2000 and can be found at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center. The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) requires the county to conduct post-closure reporting, which they will submit to the Washington State Department of Ecology on a quarterly and annual basis.

Kirkland-based AMTest would have to monitor the groundwater quality and leachate, or liquid such as rain or groundwater that has accumulated with waste.

The company would also conduct testing and analysis for drinking water produced at three water utilities in Boston Harbor, Grand Mound, and Tamoshan. The three areas also have their own wastewater facilities, which the company would also have to monitor so they could analyze wastewater that enters and exits the facilities.

The contract is for one year with an option to renew for four years. The contract amount of $1 million represents a maximum limit that should not be exceeded for the entire contract term.

The contract would not probably hit this limit as testing expenditures for these facilities cost up to $105,000 annually, according to Solid Waste Facility Operations Manager Gerald Tousley.

Expenditures for laboratory testing conducted for landfills are funded through revenues from solid waste facility tipping fees, while testing for water and sewer utilities are funded through utility rates.