County wastewater staff report White Rock plant online; clay sewer pipes flagged as long‑term replacement priority

Los Alamos County wastewater staff reported June 25 that the White Rock wastewater treatment plant is operating as designed and that plant operators are producing high‑quality effluent following recent upgrades.

Clay (given name used in the meeting), a wastewater representative, said crews installed new filters, completed a gravity sewer reroute around Bio Canyon and Pueblo that eliminated a critical lift station, and finished multiple lift‑station upgrades with SCADA brought online for nearly all lift stations.

Why it matters: staff told the board the system’s recent reliability improvements are counterbalanced by an aging collection system. Many older clay pipelines remain in Los Alamos townsite; county crews and consultants identified those lines as a multi‑year replacement priority.

Details and concerns

- System performance and fixes: staff said the White Rock plant and upgraded townsite facilities are running well and that operators have been trained on the new plant equipment. A gravity reroute reduced reliance on a vulnerable lift station in the Bio Canyon/Pueblo area.

- Collection system condition: staff described numerous clay pipes in the townsite that are susceptible to shifting soils and root intrusion; those sections account for repeated maintenance and service calls. Townsite soil and topography make some segments more likely to develop blockages.

- Causes of blockages: staff and outreach personnel cited "flushable" wipes, fats‑oils‑grease and other inappropriate items as frequent contributors to blockages. The department has increased customer education and public outreach, including plant tours and Science Fest demonstrations, to reduce those inputs.

- Staffing and budget posture: staff said the collection crew is small (about four full‑time collection workers, with others called in as needed) but capable; the department continues to track budget variances tied to emergency pump and repair work. A potential contract change and budget revision for some plant work was noted.

Quotation

- "Both of our plants are producing extremely good effluent water," a wastewater lead said while reviewing upgrades and plant performance.

What the board asked for: board members praised staff outreach efforts and asked for cost and scheduling detail for clay‑pipe replacement planning. Staff said they will return with project‑level estimates and prioritized replacement sequences in future capital planning documents.