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Sanitation director: Class 3 landfill closure work ongoing; state review and piezometer readings pending
Summary
County sanitation officials said additional borings and piezometer readings are complete and the county awaits a month of groundwater monitoring and state review before bidding construction to rebuild a Class 3 landfill cell.
Sanitation department staff updated the commission on progress toward closing and rebuilding a Class 3 cell at the Patterson landfill, describing site borings, groundwater monitoring and state review steps.
The sanitation director said the county performed 13 borings over two-plus years to determine subsurface conditions and that one boring required re-drilling after the state requested additional investigation. "They did end up getting that drilled. They had to put piezometers in them, which means they have to measure the ground water for a series of, 3 readings over the course of a month. So now we're sitting for a month waiting for those readings," the director said.
After the monitoring period the county will submit data to the state; the plans then go to the deputy director and the director, either of whom can request plan changes. The director cautioned that state review and requested changes mean the project timeline remains uncertain. If the state approves plans, the county will bid construction to expand the pond and build the new cell; the director estimated construction costs in the $300,000–$400,000 range and suggested the county would likely remain in the process through the remainder of the calendar year.
The director also addressed public questions about stormwater pond buffer encroachment: the pond berm will encroach into a 50-foot buffer required by state rules but remain on county property; the county obtained an acknowledgment from the adjacent landowner. He noted the county has used LDA Engineering throughout the landfill project and recently received reassignment of an associate engineer when staffing changed at the firm.
Why it matters: The landfill’s capacity and regulatory compliance affect county waste services and costs; the timeline and price estimates provide a planning window for commissioners.
Ending: County staff will wait for groundwater monitoring results and the state’s plan review before returning with a final schedule and bid recommendation.
