Bethlehem officials have laid out a timeline and framework for a study designed to measure the need for improvements at the town’s wastewater treatment facility.
At a public meeting held Oct. 20 in Selkirk regarding a study of upgrades needed at the plant on Dinmore Road, about 15 residents asked questions and voiced opinions about the aging plant, most related to rising waters and horrible smells that are linked back to the facility.
“This was the first of two public meetings on the matter,” said Karen Clark, Vice President and Wastewater Operations Manager for CHA, the company working with the town on upgrades to the plant. “This was supposed to be informational as we plan for the next 30 years within the town.”
One goal for the project is to increase the capacity of water the plant takes in. Currently, the plant accepts an average of 4.2 million gallons per day (mgd). The capacity for the plant is 6 mgd, and proposed upgrades would bump up that total by 50 percent to 9 mgd.
“We are increasing the peak capacity,” said Clark, “and looking at new technologies that would bypass the plant and still allow for flow to continue.”
Along with capacity upgrades, the town and outside engineers are also looking to meet goals that would reduce sludge pouring into the plant, and looking to reduce odors impacting neighbors who live nearby the 40-year-old facility. As part of the study, engineers will review the potential impacts of climate change, and will also carry out a planning study as population numbers increase due to new developments in the town.
“We’ve looked at areas that aren’t on sewer, and we need to allow for the possibility of those within the town as well,” said Clark.
Energy consumption at the plant will also be reviewed. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, or NYSERDA, has provided $26,400 for a study of energy usage at the facility.
Some residents expressed an interest in finding out more about new technologies, asked about joining with other municipalities and even posed questions about what it would take to build a new plant to serve the town. Town officials said that cost would be much higher than the upgrades proposed for the plant.
As the town’s proposed budget for 2012 stands, sewer and water rates would increase next year. With additional costs for work at the treatment plant in mind, the town is in talks with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, regarding possible infrastructure projects, including at the plant.
Town Engineer Paul Penman said the town has a list of over 20 projects of varying size that could be presented to FEMA.
“We have a lot of projects because of [Tropical Storm] Irene,” said Penman. “Dependant on the projects, some of those are mitigation.”
As the town prepares its case for assistance from FEMA, officials intend to have a plan in place by the end of the year regarding the study of the wastewater treatment plant. A second public meeting will be held in Selkirk in November. Engineers will then present a plan to the Bethlehem Town Board in December. A report must also be presented to NYSERDA in order to secure the funding from the authority.
