Adams County staff outline reverse-osmosis leachate plan and grant timeline; committee hears potential savings and capacity benefits
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Summary
County administrator and finance staff discussed a plan to install reverse-osmosis leachate treatment to reduce hauling, build intake capacity and achieve self-sufficiency; staff said a reimbursable grant application is due Sept. 30, 2026, with awards expected in December 2026.
County Administrator Liana updated the committee on solid-waste planning and a proposal to treat leachate on site using reverse-osmosis technology. She said treating leachate would reduce reliance on hauling to outside facilities and create operational savings by reducing vehicle and driver needs. "If we do away with having to haul leachate, we now have a driver, and we also have a vehicle we don't need for the leachate," the administrator said.
Staff described potential additional intake capacity at the county's leachate tanks and noted tighter acceptance limits at receiving facilities (some receiving plants have tightened limits on ammonia and PFOS). The county's engineers are pursuing a reimbursable grant to offset the investment; staff reported a final submittal due Sept. 30, 2026, and an anticipated award in December 2026.
The administrator encouraged committee members to review recorded presentations from the county engineers and suggested a countywide community meeting so board members and the public could hear engineers explain the proposal in detail.
Committee members asked about the project's return on investment, timing, and possible revenue from accepting third-party leachate; staff said estimates ranged from breakeven to net revenue and that the hourly maintenance estimate would be two to four hours per day for on-site operations. The committee expressed interest in a full engineer presentation to the board and public outreach on the technical and fiscal details.