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Spanish Fork’s new wastewater plant lowers ammonia levels; city says operation is stabilizing
Summary
City staff reported the new wastewater treatment plant is 'operating very, very well' after startup, with ammonia readings falling from averages near 18 in the old plant to around 0–0.5 in recent samples; staff said the plant provides capacity to meet current and anticipated permit limits.
Spanish Fork City staff told the council on Oct. 7 that the city’s new wastewater treatment plant has come online and is producing much lower ammonia readings than the old facility, a development staff described as a major improvement in compliance and odor control.
Corey, staff member, and other staff walked the council through startup data and process improvements. Corey explained how the plant’s biological treatment removes ammonia: “The microbiology breaks it down and uses it as an energy source and ultimately, you have nitrogen gas coming out or others that gets in the biosolids that we haul off to the landfill,” Corey said.
Staff presented comparative monitoring data: the old plant showed average ammonia levels approaching 18 (units as presented by staff), while the new plant produced readings that settled near 0 to 0.5 after an initial startup spike. Staff called the new facility a “rocket ship” for its increased complexity and capacity to meet current and future regulatory standards.
Permit context and operational notes Staff said the city’s traditional permit limit had been 18 but that a recent permit update requires the city to be below 7 for most of the year and allows up to 9 in the spring. According to staff, the old plant could not reliably meet the newer limits; the new plant’s ammonia numbers are “many, many times below” those thresholds and provide a margin of regulatory safety.
Odor and solids management Council members asked whether the intermittent sewage odors near I‑15 are gone. Corey said odor issues have improved but that final pumping, solids hauling and decommissioning of the old plant are still underway and that odors are not yet guaranteed gone “for good.” Staff described crews pumping and hauling accumulated solids from the old facility and continuing startup tuning at the new plant.
Why it matters: improved treatment reduces the risk of permit violations, lowers environmental risk from discharges, and aims to resolve long-standing public concerns about odors near the freeway.
What council members asked and how staff responded - “Where is the ammonia? What happens with it?” a council member asked; Corey explained the biologic conversion from ammonia through nitrification to nitrogen gas and biosolids that are hauled off. - Council members pressed staff on permit limits and operational readiness; staff emphasized ongoing tuning and contractor support to optimize performance.
Next steps Staff will continue startup optimization, solids hauling and decommissioning work at the old plant. The council praised the operators and contractors for rapid progress and asked staff to keep the council informed about residual odor complaints and permit compliance data.
Quote “The microbiology breaks it down and uses it as an energy source,” Corey said, describing the plant’s biological treatment processes.
Clarifying note: staff presented ammonia numbers and permit thresholds as part of the operational update; units and exact laboratory reports were shown in presentation slides referenced during the meeting but not reproduced in full in the public transcript.
