PORT TOWNSEND, Washington (News release) - After leaks in pipes at the Port Townsend Paper Company (PTPC) spilled wastewater into Port Townsend Bay on two occasions earlier this year, the Washington Department of Ecology has fined the mill a total of $20,000 for the two water quality violations.

The pulp and paper mill spilled approximately 1,000 gallons of condensed water from the plant's steam system into Port Townsend Bay in early January of this year, and discharged approximately 114,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from the pulp and paper making process in April.

Brian Peterson, PTPC's senior vice president of Operations, said that on both occasions, the facility shut down its equipment and repaired the pipes that caused the discharge once they found the leaks.

The mill's permit requires the facility to treat its wastewater before discharging it into the bay. Untreated wastewater may contain solids and pollutants that can harm fish, shellfish, and other aquatic life.

Ecology previously issued two penalties to PTPC in 2023 to address water quality violations that happened in 2022.

The company operates a large industrial wastewater treatment plant and a small sanitary wastewater treatment plant to treat water produced in the papermaking process. With around 300 employees, the mill makes about 1,000 tons of unbleached paper, containerboard, and pulp each day.

PTPC has 30 days to pay the penalty, or appeal it to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.