County discusses Exit 1 sewer upgrades, EPA discharge and funding options

County staff and elected officials discussed plans to expand or reconfigure the Exit 1 wastewater treatment facility and next steps for permitting, operations and financing. The discussion matters because the county is weighing options that affect where treated wastewater is discharged, how much development the plant can support, and who will pay for upgrades. County Engineer Todd Rother told the board staff have been testing effluent at the plant and the pond and monitoring creek flows to determine whether the plant can meet the discharge ratio required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “So we’re asking for a continuous discharge,” Rother said, describing a permit that would let the county discharge treated effluent more often and reduce the need to expand the storage pond. Rother and staff said continuous discharge could eliminate a large pond expansion cost. Rother cited an engineer estimate that an expanded pond could add roughly $1 million to the project; with…