T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Marshalltown Water Pollution Control Plant Superintendent Bob Ranson tells Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird about the process the waste goes through when it moves through the plant. Bird received a tour of the facility on Wednesday morning.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird visited the Marshalltown Water Pollution Control Plant on Wednesday morning.

Supervisor Bob Ranson led her through the process the waste water goes through and answered questions as they moved along. Walking on the platforms next to the tanks, he explained how the equipment removes a lot of the waste from the water sent to the facility.

Communications Assistant Matt Larson asked if the operation has any protocols if someone should happen to fall into one of the tanks. Ranson told him they do have life preservers.

“Unfortunately, in an aerated tank, your buoyancy is different so you don’t float,” Ranson told him.

As they walked, she asked Ranson questions for details about the specific equipment, and praised him for his clear explanations.

“This helps me understand the process,” Bird told him. “You really have a lot of different things going on here, too.”

She asked Ranson what issues are particularly concerning for the plant. His biggest concern is developing nutrient reduction strategies, he told her.

“We’re spending $18 million there and $3 million there,” Ranson said. “In order to implement nutrient reduction, that would be another $5 [million.] It’s kind of keep kicking the can down the road until you are forced to do it. I think Marshalltown has spent an excess of $38 million in sanitary sewer rehabilitation in the last 15 years — whether that is cast-in-place piping rehab or rehabbing the brick manhole structures.”

The nutrient reduction would include modifying existing infrastructure, he said. For example, it might include changing or eliminating primary clarifiers, perhaps curtains being installed in the aeration basins. Ranson added that every permit requires a nutrient reduction strategy plan as it is an ongoing matter.

“Unfortunately, our strategy is going to be ‘Here is what it’s going to cost. Here is the justification for not doing it,'” he said. “So, we’re requesting to push it back five years.”

After the tour, Bird said the entire Marshalltown plant is very impressive and wanted the opportunity to get a better understanding.

“It is interesting to see how science works, how the process works and how the [Marshalltown Water Pollution Control Plant] turns it into something clean,” she said. “Seeing the steps is educational. I hope more people can see it. Marshalltown has such an impressive plant.”

She said her office receives a number of different issues every year regarding Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations.

“It helps for me to meet the [Iowans who are experts], and learn how [the issues] impact them,” Bird said.

Other than wastewater treatments, Bird answered a question on how the state of Iowa will respond to a possible lawsuit from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) over a new state immigration law. The DOJ threatened a lawsuit through a letter sent to Bird, stating the federal government will move forward with the plan unless the state suspends the law by May 7.

The law makes it a crime for someone who has previously been deported for illegal entry to re-enter Iowa. Bird said it will not go into effect until July 1.

“If the federal government sues Iowa, we will defend ourselves in court,” she said.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.