Wastewater treatment plant expansion gets under way

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

Despite Cheney sewer rate increases still not being resolved, the city has begun the wastewater treatment plant expansion as budget talks begin.

Last spring, the Cheney City Council debated the subject of increasing the connection fee and possibly raising the customer rates when the Department of Ecology (DOE) informed Cheney that its wastewater treatment plant was near its capacity.

“The Wastewater Treatment plant was designed for 20 years (capacity of use) and we reached it in 10 years,” then public works director Don MacDonald told the city council in a Jan. 17 council meeting.

Esvelt Environmental Engineering added pollutants in the plant typically exceed the allowable levels.

The city obtained a $11.5 million interest free loan that paid for part of the project, but the had to come up with the difference. In March, the City Council approved raising the connection fee for new developments to $4,830. At the April 17 meeting, the council was to decide, how much Cheney residents will pay in their sewer rates, but agreed to bring the topic back during budget talks in November after evaluating the wastewater production over the summer.

Interim public works director Todd Ableman said as of Sept. 30 the project is approximately 15 percent complete.

Going into budget talks, the city is getting a break. The engineers estimate hovered near $12.4 million. Ableman said the contract for construction was awarded to a bid for just under $8.5 million, which includes sales tax.

Ableman said in an email the project is running smoothly and there have been no delays or problems. He also said the anticipated completion date is July 15, 2009.

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]