Changes needed to Stacyís treatment plant

By John Behling
The city of Stacy will have to decide soon whether it will expand its current wastewater treatment system or start planning to build a new mechanical plant.
A revised permit issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) stipulates that some changes will have to be made to Stacyís treatment systems before its expiration in 2008.
The city council met July 29 to go over the requests made by Donald C. Burgardt of Bonestroo and Assoc., the cityís engineering firm, to change the draft copy of Stacyís operating permit for waste water facilities.
The council moved to accept the letter, which asked the MPCA to modify a few provisions in its proposed permit.
The new permit reclassifies the current system from Class D to Class C.
Burghardt requested that this change in classification be postponed until the new chemical facility is built in order to ensure that the current operator will have time to pass the Class C test.
A nitrogen level limit of 10, as proposed in the new permit, is considered to be unreasonable by Burghardt. He said the facility is not designed to remove nitrogen and that it would be in violation, should that limit be set.
Burghardt asked that the city be given time to consider its options for improving nitrogen levels.
He also requested simular limitations on nitrates and ammonia be removed, saying the city needs more time to develop a strategy to lower these levels.
The current limit of 10 mg/l is already being exceeded.
Should the changes be accepted, Burgardt proposed to expand use of current sewage fields by building a chemical plant.
The addition to the system would ensure that the city stays within capacity until 2008.
The project is expected to cost cost about $160,000.
The council questioned such a move, and suggested an investigation into options that would serve the city longterm.
Burgardt and city engineer Chuck Schwartz stated that the chemical building would give the city time to plan for a larger mechanical plant and the proposed addition would not become useless after the construction of new system.
A mechanical plant would enhance capacity, the engineers said, but at higher building and operating costs ñ estimated at $2 million.
Operating costs are estimated as double current expenditures.
Burghardt told the council it would have to make a decision soon on what it wants to do if they want the chemical buildings completed by 2006.

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