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Town staff gives sewer-project update, says council selection planned for August
Summary
Public works director Mark Maddox updated the Paradise Town Council on the Paradise Sewer Project: vendor outreach, alternatives analysis, funding talks and a planned council selection of a preferred alternative in August. Public commenters asked for a detailed list of alternatives and noted funding and EIR considerations.
Mark Maddox, public works director and town engineer, told the Paradise Town Council that the town has advanced the Paradise Sewer Project through vendor outreach and an alternatives analysis and expects the council to select a preferred alternative at its August meeting.
Maddox said staff hosted 11 vendor and community meetings in the past month and met with the Division of Financial Assistance and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to explore grant and funding options. He said staff will continue coordination with the Regional Water Quality Control Board to confirm anticipated requirements for treated effluent discharge and will develop collection-to-dispersal cost estimates for each alternative.
The alternatives under study include different collection systems (step collection versus gravity), multiple treatment approaches (trickling filters, lagoons, constructed wetlands, membrane bioreactors with tertiary treatment) and dispersal options (surface-water discharge or land application). Maddox said the alternatives list represents permutations from “toilet to dispersal” and currently contains about 23–24 options; no sites or collection service areas have been selected.
Maddox also announced an update to paradisesewer.com with a project updates banner and supporting documents so residents who cannot attend monthly meetings can follow progress online.
During public comment, Alma Grande asked staff to post the confirmed list of alternatives so the public and council can discuss specific options. Maddox replied that the list of alternatives remains at a conceptual stage and that the ad hoc committee and staff will refine and narrow options before recommendations return to council.
Resident Cliff Jacobson said he met with members of the water board and emailed the town a white paper describing a recycling-and-fire-protection system. Jacobson reported his understanding that the EIR might be amended to add a treatment facility in some cases, that funding opportunities could expand if water reuse and fire protection features are included, and that a phased approach is recommended; he said the water board emphasized getting a project “in the ground” sooner rather than later. He also relayed the water board's view that participation by a PID could avoid forming a separate sewer district.
Maddox said one ad hoc committee goal is to tour existing treatment sites to learn about technologies, implementation and community impacts. He reiterated the August timeline for the council to select a preferred alternative, after which supplemental environmental review, permitting, design and construction planning could follow.
No formal action was taken. Staff said it will continue the alternatives analysis and post updates to paradisesewer.com.
