02-23-86 S&W Comm MinutesJune 23, 1986 SEWER AND WATER COMMITTEE 4:00 P.M.
Chairman Nystul, Mayor Kennedy, Sewer and Water Supt. Hyde, Chief Operator
Verle Olsen, Louis Jenkins, Don Hultgren, George Murgel from Stahly Engineering,
Marc Spratt, and Roger Hopkins of the Daily Inter Lake present.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - This meeting was a discussion of the facility
plan and other treatment plant concerns. A letter from Steve Pilcher dated
May 30 and one from Rick Anderson dated June 13 were presented for discussion.
C. Nystul asked if there was sufficient information in Stahly's report to make
a decision and S/W Supt. Hyde responded that there was not enough information
to write a compliance schedule.
C. Nystul stated that the discharge permit had classified Ashley Creek as
a C-2 stream and asked if there were any basis to disagree with that. -There
is some uncertainty in the PERS regarding low dissolved oxygen levels. W/S
Supt. Hyde gave an explanation of the respiration of macrophytes and stated
he disagreed with the conclusion drawn. He had no disagreement with the conclusion
regarding dissolved oxygen. The WQB has agreed to provide the data base upon
request. The City has the ability to sample the creek to verify the data.
The cause of the dissolved oxygen is what is of concern. The MIT report questioned
the latitude in the permit regarding ammonia levels. The WQB used all the
worst possible cases to come to their conclusion , which should give latitude.
The question is where does the City want to put their effluent. The
• question was asked if the plant was adding flow to the creek (4 cu.ft./second)
that would be a detriment to those downstream if it was not there? W/S Supt.
Hyde didn't feel that the City should look to Ashley Creek any longer, but
should go to a larger body of water. Chief Operator Olsen stated that as
long as the City is adding effluent to Flathead Lake the City will be blamed
for problems. He prefers ground application and would like the opportunity
to deal with a different type of problem. More study is needed regarding
the life span of land application.
George Murgel stated he would like direction from the City. His personal
opinion is that it is not worth fighting about Ashley Creek. Land application
is a good way to go but that has not been applied to this large a system in
so populated an area - and carrying it out here would drive the costs up.
From the WQB's standpoint the Flathead River is the lease hassle. The City
will get the most political and social hassle by taking the most direct route
to the river, and perhaps less if they went to the mouth of Ashley Creek.
Going that route the City would not have to meet the non -degradation limits.
Don Hultgren, lab technician at the WWTP pointed out the possible problem
of lawsuits from neighbors if land application is used.
Two other possibilities were discussed: increasing the flow in Ashley
Creek in order to increase the dillution (State says that not enough information
has been provided on this), and joint effort with Lakeside to go to Nirada
for land application. The question was asked if there was any chance to keep
• discharging year-round. The MIT report suggested removing phosphorus and
discharging. The only chance would be for the City to do it on a trial basis
and for the State to admit to error in it's calculations.
SEWER AND WATER COMMITTEE
June 23, 1986
Page 2
The compliance schedule was discussed and W/S Supt. Hyde will fine tune
it. The Council needs to commit to a strategy. Those present felt that the
City needed to narrow down the options and then study those alternatives and
make a choice. There was more discussion of the time frame for complying.
S/W Supt. Hyde will draw up the schedule and send to Steve Pilcher of WQB
and ask him to respond by July 7 so that the City will have some idea where
WQB stands when the Council votes on the schedule. A copy of the draft will
also be hand delivered to Randy Nelson when he visits this week.
CRITIQUE OF DRAFT FACILITY PLAN - S/W Supt. Hyde explained that Stably
Engineering had submitted pay estimates to within $4 of the contract price,
and he asked George Murgel if Stably could finish the plan. George said they
would have to. He said he will respond to comments in the WQB letter, but
if the dicision is to go to the Flathead River then some of the comments are
moot. He stated he needed a decision from the Council to finish.
IMMEDIATE WWTP NEEDS - The budget for 1986-87 is to include the needs.
A narrative showing the needed- items is to be provided. -
1ST ALLEY WEST - Attorney Neier and C. Grainger have input from businesses
concerning basement pumps. There was a misconception that all the sewage
generated by a particular business would go to the basement level and then
• be pumped up, rather than everything above basement level using gravity flow.
The Committee recommended that S/W Supt. Hyde address this by either having
a meeting of all those involved, or sending a letter clarifying this situation.
ROOF DRAINS - A letter and bills for water collected is needed and should
include instruction that the roof drains are to be disconnected.
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