DELAVAN-An expected population surge has the Walworth County Metropolitan Sewage District planning a $29.5 million overhaul that should serve the area for more than 20 years.
The project calls for $24 million in equipment upgrades and expansion to handle population increases until 2018. About $5.5 million in improvements would last through at least 2028.
"We're not having violations or overflows now, and (the project) is looking forward to making sure we continue to not have violations or overflows," WalCoMet Administrator Gary Gagnon said.
"Major portions of our facility are 25 years old and in need of replacement. It's not just to accommodate growth. Half is for growth, the other half is associated with upgrading or refurbishing our existing equipment that has basically reached the end of their useful life," Gagnon said.
Gerry Novotny, wastewater engineer for the state Department of Natural Resources, confirmed the WalCoMet project is to meet the needs of tomorrow. The DNR is not mandating the project immediately because treated wastewater discharges into Turtle Creek are within allowed parameters.
WalCoMet, the largest sewage treatment plant in the county, is located at 975 W. Walworth Ave., Delavan. It serves a seasonal population of 38,000 in the city Delavan, town of Delavan, Elkhorn, village of Darien, Williams Bay, the Geneva National community, areas around Delavan Lake and Lake Como and several smaller areas.
By 2018, WalCoMet expects the service-area population to increase to nearly 60,000 and by 2028 the population estimates are for 77,000, Gagnon said.
WalCoMet user charges now are about $19 per month with 3 percent annual increases, Gagnon said.
The expansion is expected to boost monthly charges to $26.65, with increases peaking around 6.7 percent in 2010, 2011 and 2012, Gagnon said. Rate increases are expected to drop back to 3 percent or less in subsequent years, he added.
WalCoMet is in the planning phases for construction, but Gagnon expects work to begin in early 2008. Completion is expected in late 2009.
The project will include ultraviolet disinfection to replace chlorine gas as the primary bacteria-killer and about $3.3 million for new odor controls.
"The city of Delavan has been very concerned with the odors. That's why we're trying to do something to get those under control," Gagnon said. "It's a very significant part of the project."
Comments sought
The public is invited to comment on the $29.5 million overhaul at the Walworth County Metropolitan Sewage District plant. Send comments by Tuesday to Gerry Novotny, Bureau of Watershed Management, Department of Natural Resources, Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707, or call (608) 267-7625.
The DNR has decided the project meets all requirements, but officials are inviting public comment to see if the review missed anything, Novotny said.
