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County holds public hearing on $1.67 million design phase to reduce odors at Tomahawk Creek treatment plant
Summary
Johnson County staff requested up to $1,670,700 to fund design and bidding for process improvements at the Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility including covering part of biological nutrient removal basins and other odor-control and optimization measures; staff said changes should reduce chemical usage and help phosphorus removal.
Johnson County held a public hearing and reviewed a request to authorize up to $1,670,700 for the design and bid phase of a Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility process-improvement project intended to reduce off-site odors and optimize treatment.
Susan Pekarik of the county presented the item and said the Tomahawk facility, which began operation in 2022, has experienced several off-site odor events over the past three years. She said engineering evaluations identified a project to cover the front portion of the biological nutrient removal (BNR) basins and add odor control to those basins. "We have had several off-site odor issues from the treatment facility," Pekarik said, adding the county has been using chemicals as a temporary odor-control measure but that increased chemical use can inhibit biological phosphorus removal. Pekarik said the design and bid phase would use Black & Veatch engineers, a term-and-supply consultant that helped design much of the plant.
Pekarik estimated current odor-control chemicals cost roughly $15,000 per month (about $180,000 per year) for the areas now relying on chemicals and said the proposed work would reduce or eliminate that chemical use for the covered portion of the basin. She said other planned optimization work — including side-stream treatment — reduced overall energy demand at the plant and had a payback of about seven years and an estimated $10 million savings over a 20-year life for that treatment.
Commissioners asked whether the project was already included in the county rate and capital plans; Pekarik said the project was included in the capital improvement and rate plan the board approved in August. Commissioner Myers asked whether lessons learned had been incorporated into another project (Nelson); staff said they had. Several commissioners thanked staff for outreach to nearby residents reporting odors.
Ending: The board held the public hearing on the design-and-bid funding request; staff said the project is in the approved capital and rate plan and will return for formal action following the hearing process.
