Belvidere Daily Republican: Problems mount at Poplar Grove's sewage treatment plants

 

By Bob Balgemann
Reporter

POPLAR GROVE - Village Trustee Jeff Goings summed it up this way: "It's just more and more."

...

He was referring to the increasing number of problems at the village's two sewage treatment plants, which officials say could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to correct.

A tip of the iceberg payment of $8,973 was approved Jan. 12 for replacement of blowers at the southside plant. Village Engineer Chris Dopkins said they were undersized and needed to be removed.

After listening to him provide an update on problems at the facilities, Trustee Ron Quimby asked, "So, plans we've been given for the north and southside wastewater treatment plants don't match what was actually done?"

"That's what we think," Dopkins answered.

That includes piping that is in a different location than what is shown on maps.

"There were a lot of change orders with this (southside plant) project," Quimby said. "If we're going to have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for improvements, I think we should go back and look at that."

The village now contracts with MCO to run the plant, with 2 1/2 of the company's employees assigned to do that work. Jason Voss heads the team and he provided the board with an update that included a possible problem with infiltration of storm water into the treatment process.

After all was said and done Dopkins told officials, "I feel bad for you guys. I will discount some of my time for what was spent last week."

In a follow-up interview, Quimby said he thought new Village Administrator Diana Dykstra having background in utilities would be helpful in dealing with all the problems at the two plants.

MCO reports directly to the board, but he said she would be overseeing the operation of the plants as part of her duties in running the village.

VISIT BELOIT, WIS. PLANTS

Meanwhile, trustees Owen Costanza and Jeff Goings recently visited the treatment plant in Beloit, Wis., to see how it was run. Quimby and Trustee Judi Zangs were scheduled for a visit last week.

"I think we're on the right track now, with MCO running our plants," Costanza said. "The problem is Poplar Grove plants were not taken care of. Evidence of that can be seen in the list of improvements that need to be done. Jeff Goings has been calling for this for the past eight years."

"Our guys should have been dedicated to (work at) the plants and not do snow plowing," he added. "MCO has dedicated 2 1/2 people to the plants."

So far, he said the village "has spent more than $100,000 to make the plants functional, compliant with the EPA" (Environmental Protection Agency).

Dopkins is preparing a priority list of improvements with two thoughts in mind. One, he said, would be projects that could be done if money was no object. The other would be projects that need to be done "to keep the plants reliable."
The lists also will have cost estimates for all the work.

Above is from:  (4) Belvidere Daily Republican