Holden Mine Water Treatment Plant Operations & Maintenance

Since 2016, IMCO has been continuously operating the Holden Mine water treatment plant for mining giant Rio Tinto as part of an environmental remediation effort at the site. IMCO constructed and commissioned the facility which removes heavy metals from the mine water for discharge into a Railroad Creek. The treated water meets all state drinking water and aquatic life standards. Already, fish are back in Copper and Railroad Creeks and the indigenous plants are thriving. This is a critical step toward ensuring the health of those creeks, Lake Chelan, and the surrounding communities for decades to come. The plant has treated 2 billion gallons of water with no environmental spills or unplanned outages.

Located above Lake Chelan in the North Central Cascades, the site is accessible only by boat and forest service road. Two crews work alternating shifts and live on site. In addition to operating the plant 24/7, they maintain the site and forest service road, monitor and clear avalanches, and perform miscellaneous small projects to improve the plant.