Pontiac council approves Phase 1 wastewater study, pump design and permit renewal work after public hearing on CSO controls

A public hearing on the wastewater treatment plant’s pollution-prevention plan opened the Pontiac City Council’s Feb. 16 meeting, with city staff outlining the plan and the city’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) control strategy before the council approved a package of engineering services.

Brad, a city wastewater staff member, told the council the city currently has five CSO discharge points and that the pollution-prevention and CSO control plans are subsidiary to the city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. "Currently, the city has 5 CSO discharge points," he said, adding that monitoring, inspections and documentation required by the NPDES permit are described in the plan and that the public hearing was to invite questions.

After the hearing was closed with no public questions, council members voted to approve three related engineering actions. The first authorizes Donahue and Associates to carry out Phase 1 of a biological nutrient removal study at the wastewater plant; staff said Phase 1 will include lab work and jar testing and is expected to run through about January 2027, with council approving only Phase 1 at this time. City staff emphasized Phase 2 will be considered later based on Phase 1 findings.

Council also approved a separate engineering services agreement to complete the nitrate-recycle pump design for components missing from an existing 24-inch transfer pipe installed during a 2019–2022 project. Staff said the pipe itself exists and the contract covers design of pump flows, capacities and related installation components.

Finally, council approved professional services to begin the NPDES permit renewal process. Staff noted the city’s permit is expiring in December and that the renewal application must be filed 180 days in advance under EPA rules; the services agreement includes preparation of the draft permit materials and negotiation support.

All three items were presented by staff, moved and carried by roll-call votes. The council record shows no substantive amendments to the scopes presented; staff told the council the Phase 1 study is intended to identify what subsequent design or construction work (if any) will be required.

What’s next: Phase 1 work proceeds with lab and bench testing; staff will return with recommendations about whether and how to proceed to Phase 2 after the study is complete.