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Council approves work order to begin multi‑phase wastewater plant upgrades
Summary
Lennox approved a work order to start design and procurement for phased wastewater treatment improvements, citing cold-weather damage to ammonia-removing bacteria and the need for equalization storage and other upgrades; the Department of Corrections connection may accelerate work.
The Lennox City Council voted to approve a work order authorizing phased design and construction services for upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment facility.
City staff and the project's engineering firm described the work as a multi-phase program: a topographic and site survey, schematic design, design development and construction documents, bidding assistance, preconstruction coordination and construction observation and closeout. The firm emphasized it has prior wastewater experience and will coordinate regulatory and environmental reviews with state agencies.
City wastewater staff described an operational problem tied to an arctic cold spell that reduced the active population of ammonia‑removing bacteria in the plant. The operator explained that the biological organisms used to remove ammonia are temperature-sensitive and become ineffective when water temperatures fall below roughly 40–50 degrees; rebuilding the biological mass and returning the plant to normal ammonia removal is a slow process.
To address seasonal and flow variations, staff said they are evaluating interim operational steps (adjusting pump start/stop timing to introduce warmer water more frequently), physical mitigations such as covers or heat exchangers and longer-term changes tied to an anticipated increase in incoming flow from a planned Department of Corrections (DOC) connection. Staff said the DOC connection would provide additional flow and funding support that could accelerate capital improvements but that the city needs to finish its design so the DOC can coordinate its connection to the plant.
The approved work order covers preliminary survey through construction observation; council members were told the work will include coordination with the DOC, state regulatory agencies and private utilities as needed. The motion to approve the work order passed without a recorded roll-call tally in the meeting minutes; the transcript records the motion, second and verbal approval.
Councilors and staff said the upgrades are needed independently of the DOC connection because the plant requires better equalization and some components need upsizing to meet current and future operational conditions. Staff will return with design deliverables and regulatory coordination steps as the project advances.
