Lynden and Darigold collaborate on unique water reclamation project

An innovative project made possible by Darigold, Inc. and a grant from the state legislature will soon be under construction. When complete, the project will provide the opportunity for the city to draw as much as 20 percent more drinking water from the Nooksack River.

The project will pipe condensed water leftover from the Darigold facility’s powdered milk production process to a point across from Lynden’s domestic water intake on the Nooksack River. This will allow the city to send this water to the city’s new $35 million water treatment plant and produce water for domestic use.

“We are glad to partner with the City of Lynden on this project,” said Scott Burleson, Darigold senior vice president of operations. “Darigold is pleased that we’ve been able to find a way to reuse excess condensate water from our dairy farm milk supply and plant process. It’s a win-win partnership.”

Such a project had been discussed for almost two decades but became possible only recently after the City received a $2 million state grant. The project will break ground this summer and be complete sometime in 2018.

“The importance of this project to the City of Lynden can’t be overstated,” said Lynden Mayor Scott Korthuis. “Darigold and the City have worked very hard, for a very long time to bring this project to fruition. Darigold has been a great partner, and a great corporate citizen in our community. We look forward to many more decades of that successful partnership.”

Burleson also said, “Participating in this project fits Darigold’s values, as we are committed to continuously improving our environmental responsibility efforts where we operate.”

The fresh milk comes from dairy farms in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Long, shiny Milky-Way trucks carry it to the Lynden plant each day. The plant produces cream, non-fat dry milk and skim milk powder. Darigold ships the skim milk powder to customers around the world.