Council questions sewer‑lagoon study; seeks outside review and better flow data

A dispute over the scope and cost of proposed upgrades to Fountain Green’s wastewater lagoon system took center stage at the Jan. 22 City Council meeting as at least one council member challenged the engineering firm’s conclusions and cost estimates.

Unidentified Speaker 2 told the council the engineers "have no idea what is going into our lagoon system" and said the report lacked flow‑meter measurements and soil testing to substantiate claims of leaching. The speaker criticized a proposed multi‑million‑dollar overhaul as premature and advocated seeking independent engineering opinions, installing a flow meter to measure actual inflows, and considering refurbishing an existing cell during winter months as a lower‑cost interim step.

Staff and consultants agreed to pursue follow‑up steps. Jones & DeMille Engineering representative Garrett Weldon, invited later in the meeting, described the technical constraints around lagoon design, explained that state rules limit what liners can pass and that some changes to the regulatory picture have occurred, and recommended the council consider options including additional land for future cells and installing monitoring equipment to refine loading calculations.

Council members agreed to pause any immediate, large capital commitments and to meet with current and alternate engineers for verification. Unidentified Speaker 1 recommended a joint meeting of council and the present engineers, possibly scheduling follow‑up after industry contacts become available at a February conference. No formal vote to accept or reject the study was taken; the council directed staff to explore outside review options and return with cost estimates for additional analysis and metering.