During July 2020, more than 5,000 people visited the wastewater treatment facility in Albany, Oregon. The main attraction was the 40-acre constructed wetland that cools up to 7 mgd of effluent from the activated sludge facility to meet regulatory requirements.
“Just think how unique it is that so many people would want to visit any part of a wastewater treatment plant,” says Joe Deardorff, natural treatment specialist for the city. But it’s not just any wetland. Named Talking Water Gardens, it’s a cascading series of nine ponds (cells) that provide habitat for wildlife, space for recreation and a laboratory for education.
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