Sewer rates may rise due to SSO compliance
By TAMMY R. LAWSON, TIMES-REPUBLICANArticle Photos
The state-mandated price for clean water may again rise in the form of higher sewer rates for the city of Marshalltown.
An adjustment of 8 percent last June resulted in an average residential household increase of about $2 per month. The hike was needed due to a Sanitary Sewer Overflow Study, according to Mike Fields, director of the Water Pollution Control Plant.
However, the SSO Removal Program requires several studies that involve repairing or revising the plant's collection systems and sewers.
The city is also required to conform with waste-water flow monitoring that in total, will involve additional costs of nearly $400,000.
"We will see sewer rate increases to cover those costs, and unfortunately millions of dollars need to be spent in order to get us [compliant]," Fields said.
The Department of Natural Resources requires the plant to have a flow-equalization basin with the ability to accommodate a 10-year storm event, meaning the city needs an additional 20 million gallons of storage.
Currently, the plant has the capability to treat 30 million gallons per day.
Fox Engineering performed a preliminary study on the collection system and the plant's ability to handle storm water, concluding that another storage basin should be built, along with upgrading existing basins and being able to pump what goes into the plant.
The city has a grant application in the process, including another one submitted through I-JOBS.
The process is highly restricted under the Clean Water Act for compliance with the DNR and Environmental Protection Agency. The organizations are working toward the elimination of sanitary sewer overflow state wide.
"Our system in a lot better shape than others because we have spent millions of dollars over the years working on it," Fields said.
The plant is also looking at the purchase of a heavy metal analyzer for its laboratory in the amount of $45,267. The machine detects contaminants that are present in the water system.
Money for the analyzer will be allotted from the city's capital improvement plan.
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Contact Tammy R. Lawson at 641-753-6611 or tlawson@timesrepublican.com
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LilBeaver
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01-08-10 9:02 PM
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Field's played with dirty water so long he has become just another "Dirty Old Man".
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LilBeaver
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01-08-10 9:01 PM
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What Mike is really sayingis that he needs a hefty raise to continue to pay for his lap dances over in Ames!
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AverageAmerican
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01-08-10 3:48 PM
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MarieF - go look at the water reports you mention. They are woefully inadequate. Most contaminants are listed as "other". Keep drinking that OTHER stuff and you'll end up with 3 legs just like the malformed frogs in the streams.
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iamtammy
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01-08-10 12:33 PM
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I will add that the DNR sent the WPCP a letter basically stating "we're not concerned with whether you get a grant or not because this work needs to be done." Fields said the majority of work has to be completed in the scope of three years and they are about half-way into the project.
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MarieF
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01-08-10 11:23 AM
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Water quality is measured all the time. Is there any time you can be positive, AverageAmerican?
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Stephen
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01-08-10 10:41 AM
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Cultwatch, we pay about $53.00 every two months for our water/sewer bill in the City limits.
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AverageAmerican
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01-08-10 10:40 AM
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"looking at the purchase of a heavy metal analyzer for its laboratory in the amount of $45,267. The machine detects contaminants that are present in the water system." TOO BAD THEY DON'T ANALYZE DRINKING WATER AS WELL AS YOUR STOOL FLUSHES!!!!!
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Cultwatch
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01-08-10 9:47 AM
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Increased $2.00 ! are you kidding me? I live in Lohrville, Iowa and our water/sewer rates went from $50/$60 to an average of $140 a month all because there was a leak in the water system they couldn't seem to find. Can someone from M-Town give me an idea what the average rates are?
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