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Board hears wastewater-plant update; operator reports digester problems and USDA submission
Summary
Wastewater staff told the Board of Public Works that a preliminary compliance plan and funding documents have been submitted to USDA Rural Development, the plant is operating on a single digester with recurring rag blockages, and maintenance and fee changes are expected to appear in next budgets.
At its July 4 meeting, the Board of Public Works heard an update on wastewater-treatment operations from plant staff. The presentation said the city submitted financial and project documentation to USDA Rural Development and that a preliminary compliance alternative plan was filed with the state Department of Natural Resources on June 9.
The update said the plant has been running on a single digester for an extended period and crews have repeatedly removed large amounts of rags and debris from process lines. The presenter said one visible removal amounted to approximately six five‑gallon buckets of rags and that several similar events have occurred. Because other digesters have not been taken offline for cleaning, staff said the prolonged single‑digester operation is “starting to take its toll.”
Staff also told the board the digester coating work is two to three weeks behind schedule after recent bad weather. The maintenance budget for 2026 will likely be higher, staff said, and the city is considering fee increases for Alden Waste; staff said they plan to return to the board with a proposal in the next one to two months.
Board members asked no follow‑up questions beyond clarifying some timing points. The discussion was informational only; no formal action was taken.
The presentation credited Judy for help assembling financial paperwork for USDA Rural Development and said the USDA and DNR will review the submitted documents and then schedule a site visit or follow‑up to assess the city’s financial readiness and compliance plan. The presenter said the USDA review is expected to take time because the agency is short staffed.
The board noted the staffing and schedule pressures at the plant and thanked the plant operator for his work.
