Nyssa treatment system almost finished
By LARRY MEYER
ARGUS OBSERVER
Thursday, July 30, 2009 10:39 AM PDT
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| This is the first 15-acre treatment cell built as part of the new Nyssa wastewater treatment lagoon system. |
NYSSA — It has been about 15 years in the making, but Nyssa’s new wastewater treatment lagoon system is close to completion, despite some issues that keep cropping up and trying the patience of city officials and some residents.
Myra Hartley, wastewater superintendent, said she is getting ready to turn the digester off at the existing treatment plant, giving residents relief from equipment that no longer does the job adequately and leaves a smell hanging in the air. That should happen early this fall, she said.
“It’s a good, green project,” Hartley said of the new wastewater treatment lagoon system. “We will be totally out of the river. There will be no more discharge.”
That means there will be no more worries about meeting Snake River water quality standards.
“It eliminates a lot of the testing,” Hartley said. “This stuff is tested and tested.”
But that is not the only benefit to the city, she said. Currently, it costs about $1,500 a month in natural gas to operate the digester, Hartley said, and estimated it costs about $800 for the electricity to run the pumps.
Instead of the discharging to the river, the new system will hold treated water, which has been through two treatment cells, or ponds, until it can be sprinkled on alfalfa fields the city plans to develop.
“The city will drain all the water during the summer and hold during the winter,” Hartley said.
The project includes pumps that will provide additional water if needed.
“There will be 89 acres of alfalfa, in time,” Hartley said.
There are a lot of numbers involved with the project. The first treatment pond covers 15 acres, followed by the second pond, which is 10 acres. The holding pond takes in about 32 acres.
Selland Construction, Wenatchee, Wash., is the contractor for phase A, which included construction of the ponds. Its work should be wrapped up in about two weeks, Hartley said.
Mike Becker Construction, La Grande, is the contractor for phase B, which includes the piping, sprinkler system and telemetry system. That company has just started its part of the project.
“They are really moving fast,” Hartley said.
Completion is expected this fall.
The cost of the project, more than $8 million, is paid for by a combination grants from the USDA Rural Development program, Oregon State Revolving Fund through the Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Economic and Community Development.
Jessie Castillo, a Nyssa resident, is also happy the project is about done.
“It’s about time,” he said. “That place (the treatment plant) really stinks up the area. It took them way too long.”
One of the requirements that accompanied the funding was the increase in sewer rates, which were hiked again during a recent City Council meeting.
“I don’t mind paying as long as it makes a big difference,” Castillo said.
Larry Meyer is a reporter for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at LarryM@argusobserver.com
