Fairhope, Alabama
The city council awarded a $10.8 million contract to low-bidder J + P Construction Co. for upgrades/repairs to the city's waste water treatment plant that will dramatically improve the purity of the effluent discharged into the bay.
The improvements are necessary because of stricter discharge purity requirements by ADEM; a "stronger" waste water steam into the plant; the need to provide redundancy; and to repair/replace aging infrastructure -- according to the consulting engineer, Melinda Immel of Volkert Engineering.
STATE OF THE ART FACILITY
According to Immel, ADEM is currently studying Mobile Bay and even tighter discharge limits are anticipated in the future.
The upgrades will put Fairhope ahead of the curve, similar to standards in Florida and California.
The incorporation of modern devices to screen out fine debris, remove more grease and grit -- and Schreiber Fuzzy Filters (right) will provide the extra purification, before being discharged into the bay.
"You are going to be leading the pack, in coastal Alabama ... regarding quality of discharge into the bay."
She said once ADEM formulates re-use standards, the quality of waste water leaving the plant will be so clean ... you will be able to irrigate golf courses, lawns, street medians, etc ..."
(Last year, a citizen concerned about bay pollution posted a video on You Tube of the outflow discharged just off of the municipal beach: Click)
NO NEW BORROWING NEEDED
Mayor Kant said the upgrade will be financed by $8.6 million already borrowed by the previous city council for the purpose, but some money may have to be transferred from other utilities as well.
Mayor Kant: "We'll pay with current cash flow ... plus money already borrowed."
Since it will take about 16 months to complete, funds from the next budget will have to be used as well ($10 million in 2014, $800K in 2015).
An emergency generator, deleted from the project for now to limit cost, will need to be added at a later date.
The engineer called it "a very unique project," since the plant will have to remain in operation during construction.
[The upgrade should meet the needs of the city for the next 15 years, then a new sewer plant may need to be constructed on city-owned land south of the airport (since there is no more room for expansion at its present site, north of the Colony Cemetery)]
sewage discharge link http://youtu.be/3LXYXEqx-YY
The city council awarded a $10.8 million contract to low-bidder J + P Construction Co. for upgrades/repairs to the city's waste water treatment plant that will dramatically improve the purity of the effluent discharged into the bay.
The improvements are necessary because of stricter discharge purity requirements by ADEM; a "stronger" waste water steam into the plant; the need to provide redundancy; and to repair/replace aging infrastructure -- according to the consulting engineer, Melinda Immel of Volkert Engineering.
STATE OF THE ART FACILITY
According to Immel, ADEM is currently studying Mobile Bay and even tighter discharge limits are anticipated in the future.
The upgrades will put Fairhope ahead of the curve, similar to standards in Florida and California.
The incorporation of modern devices to screen out fine debris, remove more grease and grit -- and Schreiber Fuzzy Filters (right) will provide the extra purification, before being discharged into the bay.
"You are going to be leading the pack, in coastal Alabama ... regarding quality of discharge into the bay."She said once ADEM formulates re-use standards, the quality of waste water leaving the plant will be so clean ... you will be able to irrigate golf courses, lawns, street medians, etc ..."
(Last year, a citizen concerned about bay pollution posted a video on You Tube of the outflow discharged just off of the municipal beach: Click)
NO NEW BORROWING NEEDED
Mayor Kant said the upgrade will be financed by $8.6 million already borrowed by the previous city council for the purpose, but some money may have to be transferred from other utilities as well.
Mayor Kant: "We'll pay with current cash flow ... plus money already borrowed."
Since it will take about 16 months to complete, funds from the next budget will have to be used as well ($10 million in 2014, $800K in 2015).
An emergency generator, deleted from the project for now to limit cost, will need to be added at a later date.
The engineer called it "a very unique project," since the plant will have to remain in operation during construction.
[The upgrade should meet the needs of the city for the next 15 years, then a new sewer plant may need to be constructed on city-owned land south of the airport (since there is no more room for expansion at its present site, north of the Colony Cemetery)]
sewage discharge link http://youtu.be/3LXYXEqx-YY
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