Northern Treatment Plant Celebrates a Decade of Excellence
Metro’s Northern Treatment Plant (NTP) celebrated 10 years of service in October, marking a decade of supporting the growth of communities across the northern reaches of our service area. In October 2016, the NTP began accepting flows and treating wastewater in Brighton. This milestone celebrates not only the facility itself, but also the team that brought it to life.
Behind NTP’s first decade of service are the employees who keep the facility running every day. From NTP Operations and Maintenance to engineering, laboratory services and support teams, their work ensures Metro can continue delivering an essential service to our communities.
As NTP looks toward its next decade, this anniversary is an opportunity to recognize the people whose expertise, dedication and teamwork have made its success possible. We welcome you to view some key highlights of the plant over the years courtesy of Kim Cowan (NTP Director of Operations and Maintenance).
A Decade by the Numbers
- Average daily influent flows began at approximately 4 million gallons per day (MGD) but is now roughly 12 MGD.
- Full time employees within NTP’s Operations and Maintenance began at 13 and is now at 39.
- NTP has achieved excellent compliance from day 1 with zero permit exceedances (2 non-compliance events). Highlights include:
- 1 Platinum Award (2020)
- 7 Gold Awards (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- 2 Silver Awards (2021, 2022)
2016–2019 Startup: Building the Foundation
NTP’s startup years focused on bringing the facility online and adapting operations to real-world conditions. Early challenges for the plant included higher influent loading than original design assumptions, extremely low flow at startup, and working through all the bugs and gremlins of a brand-new facility and control system. As new connectors began sending additional flows to the plant, the team adapted processes, expanded staffing to include full-time maintenance, and established the operational foundation for future success.
2019–2022 COVID: Resilience Under Pressure
NTP maintained uninterrupted treatment operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while navigating staffing challenges, supply chain disruptions, severe weather, and equipment failures. Through it all, the NTP team ensured safe, reliable service and regulatory compliance.
2026–2028 Stability: Consolidating the Gains
Having evolved into a mature operation, NTP continues to leverage hard-earned lessons to strengthen planning, processes, and organizational resilience. The NTP’s greatest asset is its people, whose expertise and adaptability will drive success for years to come.
