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County utilities report NDEP acceptance of 0.5 MGD Aspen Creek RIB capacity; outline options to expand disposal
Summary
Lyon County interim utilities director reported the state has accepted the county's 0.5 million-gallons-per-day effluent disposal capacity at Aspen Creek and outlined short- and long-term options to increase discharge capacity, including converting ponds and adding new rapid infiltration basins (RIBs).
Interim utility director Sean Sinclair updated the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 4 about effluent disposal capacity at the Aspen Creek rapid infiltration basins (RIBs) and next steps to support subdivision mapping and will-serve letters.
Sinclair said the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) and county staff reviewed monitoring data through July and that the state accepted the county's June engineering finding of 0.5 MGD capacity for the Aspen Creek RIB site. "NDEP has accepted our 0.5 MGD capacity for the Aspen Creek RIBs," Sinclair said, and that the state requested a formal memo and a modification to the county's will-serve letter before resuming final map signings.
Sinclair described recent meetings with NDEP and staff and said the July monitoring showed effluent quality meeting groundwater permit standards with groundwater nitrogen trending down at monitoring wells. He also said the state had resumed signing final maps and will-serve letters after the county provided a capacity tracker tied to each subdivision.
County next steps include short-term pumping and routing changes to move more effluent to the south plant and to the Dayton Golf Course, evaluating conversion of a large storage pond at the South Plant to a RIB, and investigating converting two abandoned lagoons into infiltration basins. Sinclair noted constraints: an existing HDPE pipe under the river has a choke point where it reduces to 4 inches, limiting flow; crews are evaluating reconnecting an abandoned line or installing a new line under the river.
Sinclair also outlined 1-to-4-year goals: a contractor program to use effluent rather than potable water for dust control (the county used about 24,000,000 gallons of potable water for dust control in 2024), constructing additional RIBs at Aspen Creek with three siting alternatives, exploring completely new sites and evaluating the possibility of discharging effluent into the Carson River pending permitting.
County manager Andrew Haskin and commissioners thanked staff for the work during recent flash flooding and for progress on subdivision mapping. Sinclair said the county will continue biweekly monitoring reports to NDEP and coordinate permitting discussions with the state before major construction of new infiltration basins.
Why it matters: The NDEP's acceptance of the county's 0.5 MGD capacity allowed the state to resume final map signings in the Dayton sewer service area. The county outlined multiple engineering and operational options to increase disposal capacity while continuing monitoring and coordination with state regulators.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was an informational update.
