Routt County staff told commissioners on July 7 that work at two wastewater projects — Milner and the Pieberg (Peaberg) wastewater treatment systems — is in final commissioning phases and several remaining technical items remain.

Why it matters: The plants serve small, dispersed communities; completing commissioning and addressing conveyance and reliability items is needed for stable wastewater service.

Jay (County Manager) said lining and refurbishment of manholes on the collection system is almost complete and that the Pieberg Wastewater Treatment Plant commissioning was scheduled for the week of July 21. "What they do is they come in with fresh water, test everything, and run it, and then they bring in seed sludge, which they get from the Steamboat Springs treatment plant," Jay said. He said the Milner plant had been commissioned by the manufacturer Nueterra and that seed sludge would be brought in on July 14; generator commissioning delayed full seeding because the manufacturer wanted backup power verified first.

Jay told the board that a 4-inch pipe running from the Milner plant to the existing lagoon will need to be replaced rather than lined; he said the transcript records an approximate cost comment but did not supply a full numeric amount or currency units. Staff also said they expect to extend a culvert to reduce infiltration and that they would finalize a visual mitigation plan for containerized equipment (painting and screening) to reduce visual impact near neighbors.

Commissioners were told staff expect work to be wrapped up by mid-July on collection-system lining, with other commissioning and corrective items continuing thereafter. Staff said they will provide cost updates when final plumbing and crossing permits are secured and that they are working with the railroad crossing owner on the necessary approval.

Ending: Staff will return to the board with cost estimates and final commissioning confirmation once the seed sludge transfers and generator completions are concluded.