From taking public transportation to taking shorter showers, the choices we make every day impact our one shared ocean. The Seattle Aquarium participates enthusiastically in that work. We’re committed to being a regenerative aquarium—one that gives back more to the environment than we take from it. We use our regenerative plan as a guide in this work.
This past year, the Aquarium made some exciting changes that allow us to operate our campus more sustainably—all while maintaining the highest quality of care for the animals here. From lowering our seawater usage to investments in renewable energy, read on to learn about this thrilling work.
The Seattle Aquarium sources its seawater from Elliott Bay right below Piers 59 and 60.
Quenching the thirst for seawater
Seawater may look abundant on our beautiful blue planet, but just like all other natural resources, it has to be handled with care.
The Seattle Aquarium has the unique ability to source the seawater for our habitats from Elliott Bay. For the habitats in Piers 59 and 60, which house animals native to the Salish Sea, water comes in from Elliott Bay, is treated, flows through the habitats and then back out to the bay.
This past year, our staff began gradually experimenting with reducing how much seawater enters our habitats. After every reduction, the water quality and animals in each habitat were carefully monitored for any changes in wellbeing. So far, we’ve managed to reduce seawater usage across the piers by about 24%.
Flow improvements in Window on Washington Waters and other habitats contributed to strong reductions in seawater usage.
Less seawater pumping means less electricity usage—a serious regenerative win. And it also puts less stress on the pumping equipment, which means it will likely last longer.
And the project has allowed our teams to get a better understanding of the actual needs of our habitats, which means we can also be more accurate and resilient when planning for emergencies.
Oxygen concentrator: a breath of fresh air
Did you know the amount of oxygen in seawater naturally fluctuates throughout the year? But the oxygen needs of our animal population remain the same. So, we often have to supplement the water with more oxygen.
For the past several years, the Aquarium has used large cylinders of liquid oxygen for this task. They work fine, but our team noticed some ways the system could use improvements. For one, the Aquarium empties oxygen tanks and receives replacements on a weekly basis, the transportation of which results in greenhouse gas emissions.
Enter, the oxygen concentrator. This machine works by taking in normal, everyday air and isolating the oxygen, filtering out nitrogen and other gases. That oxygen is then added into the Aquarium’s water and flows through our habitats.
The oxygen concentrator installed in Pier 59 allows us to more efficiently and accurately adjust oxygen levels in the water of our habitats.
Unlike the liquid oxygen tanks, which require human monitoring and intervention, the oxygen concentrator has a sensor and can automatically adjust its output levels to meet the habitats’ needs in real time and to consistently maintain optimal oxygen levels 24/7.
The oxygen concentrator is currently in use for the water that goes to Pier 59’s Window on Washington Waters, Crashing Waves and most of Life on the Edge. The team facilitating the changes—led by Senior Water Quality Specialist Juliette Mason and Regenerative Manager and Life Support Technician II Travis Snyder—is looking forward to expanding the project in 2026 to reach the piers’ other habitats.
Senior Water Quality Specialist Juliette Mason (left) and Regenerative Manager and Life Support Technician II Travis Snyder lead the oxygen concentrator project.
Because the Ocean Pavilion is a closed-loop system, it operates with a water treatment system that maintains oxygen levels as the water recirculates, so an oxygen concentrator isn’t necessary there.
A powerful investment in renewable energy
In 2025, the Seattle Aquarium signed a power purchase agreement with Seattle City Light. Essentially, this means we agree to purchase solar power from a newly built facility to replace our current electrical use, thus adding additional renewable energy capacity to the local electric grid. The agreement is scheduled to go into effect soon and last for 15 years.
This power purchase agreement represents one step in our regenerative journey. In past years, the Aquarium has done a lot of work to more sustainably run our campus, from designing the new Ocean Pavilion to be fossil fuel free to making changes in Pier 59 that dramatically reduced our natural gas usage.
To engage in regenerative work is to live focused on the future. And with a team full of dedicated conservationists supported by our thoughtful community, the future of sustainability is looking bright at the Seattle Aquarium. Follow along with our progress on our Sustainability page!
