It was one year ago that then Mayor Dean Maxwell presided over the official opening of the new Water Treatment Plant (WTP) on the Skagit River near Mount Vernon. Friday, May 10, 2013 was a memorable day for Maxwell, who as the city’s chief executive administered one of the largest public utility expansion projects in the state in recent years. In addition to providing water for the city, the $58 million WTP provides water for commercial businesses, industry and agriculture. Among the city’s water clients are the City of Oak Harbor and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The utility serves 56,000 residential customers and thousands of businesses in Skagit and Island counties. The WTP now produces about 42 million gallons per day, with expansion capacity to 55 million gallons per day.