WRA update: Des Moines plant capacity, biosolids, PFAS testing and resource‑recovery projects

Scott Hutchins, assistant public works director and director of the Water Reclamation Authority (WRA), briefed council members on the plant the WRA operates under contract with the City of Des Moines. Hutchins said the plant treats about 65,000,000 gallons a day, receives roughly 70 truckloads of hauled waste that generate about $2,000,000 in revenue, and employs about 120 people when fully staffed. Hutchins described biosolids handling and recovery: the plant produces about 88,000 wet tons of biosolids annually and applies them on roughly 2,000 acres of farmland in spring and fall. He told council the WRA is not currently testing biosolids for PFAS because the city “is not required to” and attorneys have not advised testing; staff said testing could be required by 2026 and that testing practices and regulation are evolving. Hutchins also summarized capital projects: the completed Birdland Pump Station (about $19.5 million) removed a CSO at that location; the Ingersoll Run project (about $36 million) finished and closed the last CSO required by the consent decree; a planned personnel facility north of the plant (properties purchased) is a multiyear project with an estimated cost of about $440 million and a target completion around 2029; an aeration basin project (about $40 million) and a phosphorus recovery project (about $45 million) were described as proactive measures to improve nutrient removal; and a renewable natural gas (RNG) project (about $20 million) upgrades biogas to pipeline quality and yields an estimated $6,000,000 gross annual revenue while occasionally requiring flaring when capacity is exceeded. Staff framed these as informational updates and long‑range capital planning; no council action or vote was requested at the work session.