Wellsville Council's Sewage Committee

Wednesday - March 10: There was a Sewage Committee meeting held at Village Hall to update three Village projects and prepare recommendations for next Tuesday's Council Meeting. Present was Committee Chairman Randy Allmon, Committee Members Susan Haugh & Tony Cataldo, Village Administrator Jim Saracco, Zoning Administrator Rick Williams and Councilman Joe Soldano. Updates were given on finishing the work at the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), replacing the 1.5 mile forced main for sewage and the latest plans for the Highland Avenue project.

Work at the STP began nearly two years ago on the aging system. Conditions with the old equipment got to the point that it couldn't keep up with treating the raw sewage causing a stench to emanate making life miserable for anyone living down wind from the plant. They spent big money in 2008 cleaning out the sewage digesters. However, with the economic conditions there was no money in the Village funds for major capital improvements. The financial situation hasn't really improved all that much in the last couple of years but money is slowly coming available through grants and loans.

Cataldo announced that with the anticipated $133,000 grant from OMEGA in a couple of weeks the Village is ready to put out bids on the design work for an updated system of treating sewage called aerobic digestion. Once in operation the new system will eliminate the stench problem according to Cataldo. Along with the OMEGA grant the Village will be using an Ohio Public Works (OPW)loan for nearly $350,000.

The installation of the aerobic digesters will be enclosed in a new building that will be constructed as part of the project. Aerobic digestion "involves mixing the wastewater solids with sources of carbon such as sawdust, straw or wood chips. In the presence of oxygen, bacteria digest both the wastewater solids and the added carbon source and, in doing so, produce a large amount of heat. Both anaerobic and aerobic digestion processes can result in the destruction of disease causing microorganisms and parasites to a sufficient level to allow the resulting digested solids to be safely applied to land used as a soil amendment material (with similar benefits to peat) or used for agriculture as a fertilizer provided that levels of toxic constituents are sufficiently low", according to Wikipedia. For Wellsville it will be a whole new way for treating sewage. It will just about eliminate the need for the sludge beds.

The OPW loan will be on a 20 - 30 year repayment plan. According to Cataldo the loan has already been approved and the Village can "draw down from it at any time". There is a bit of good news financially. The engineering firm of Gills, Gard & Johnson has already been paid for the engineering work. It's ready for the next step.

The next project on tap is replacing the forced main that moves sewage from 2nd St. to the STP plant at 16th & Riverside. That main is a 12" diameter pipe line that moves sewage all along the line to the plant. According to Cataldo it was originally installed back in 1942 or 1944. Like the equipment at the STP it too has long out lived it's effectiveness. Last year there were four costly breaks.

Plans are to reroute a portion of the line and using a slightly smaller diameter pipe. Cataldo said they are looking at using 11-1/2" diameter new pipe fitted inside the old one. Parts of that line presently goes under four mobile homes at the end of 2nd St., under the 4th St. Square War Memorial, numerous trees along Riverside and huge piles of coal at the Wellsville Terminals. Using the smaller pipe will eliminate a lot of digging, damage and disruption. A power unit for the forced main located at 2nd St. will also be refurbished.

Financing the forced main work will be from a 20 year EPA loan for $350,000 at zero per cent interest plus some funds from the elusive STAG funds. The loan will cost the Village $15,000 per year which will be from the $1 increase put on sewage bills that started this past January. It is expected to bring in $18,000 in unencumbered funds this year. There is somewhere around $660,000 from the STAG funds left that is still under appeal with the US EPA.

The Highland Avenue project involves putting in new sewage lines, storm drain lines, culverts, catch basins and street improvements. A new sidewalk originally included in those plans has been eliminated. Money to pay for this long hoped for project is going to come from the remaining STAG funds plus funds being held in reserve. Once completed the project will hopefully eliminate the trouble causing water run off from the hillside in that area. Most of that water comes from underground springs and in winter months causes ice build up on the roads. According to Cataldo approximately $90,000 spent in 2008 & 2009 cleaning the STP digesters can be counted for the Village's 45% share of the grant for Highland. He said that was confirmed by Bill Boyle of G,G&J Engineering.

Motions will be made at next week's Council Meeting by the Sewage Committee to authorize the Mayor to advertise for bids for the design work on the aerobic digesters and authorizing the Mayor to apply for the EPA loan for the forced main.

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