In 2012, King County’s clean-water utility is budgeting $167 million for several major sewer improvement projects needed to protect public health, the environment and the economy.

Planned projects include rehabilitating aging facilities so they continue to operate reliably and adding new capacity to serve regional population growth. Projects will also include plans to clean up contaminated sediment in the Duwamish River and controlling combined sewer overflows that occur during heavy rain near some of Seattle’s most popular recreation areas.

Several projects originally deferred will also move forward this year because in 2011 the utility was able to generate $70 million in total savings by refinancing earlier issued bonds at historically low interest rates.

In addition to ensuring the utility continues its record of environmental excellence, King County’s capital improvement projects create jobs that will help lift the recovering local economy. The County estimates it creates 115 full- and part-time jobs for every $10 million it invests in construction. In addition, these projects provide infrastructure that supports economic growth.

Here are local  major construction and design projects.

South Treatment Plant improvements: King County plans to invest $6.6 million to upgrade the supervisory control system equipment and software at the South Treatment Plant in Renton.

Skyway Infiltration and Inflow Control Program: In a partnership with the Skyway Water and Sewer District, King County will invest $1.4 million to complete a project to repair leaky pipes in the local sewer system to keep stormwater and groundwater out of regional treatment facilities. The project is anticipated to remove enough excess flows from the local sewer system to eliminate the need to build a large regional wastewater storage facility in the area.