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Water department outlines capital work, clean‑water plant timeline and biosolids reuse pilot
Summary
Water and wastewater staff presented FY27 personnel and operations changes, planned water‑main and pump station projects, and a biosolids beneficial reuse pilot with a 50/50 compost blend showing improved nutrient profiles and ~25% solids content; staff are evaluating a reuse facility and market options.
Michelle Hatcher, director of the Water & Wastewater Department, and fiscal manager Dylan Gaster briefed the Budget & Finance Committee on capital and operational priorities tied to continued system renewal and an anticipated South clean‑water plant.
Staff summarized a roughly 5.5% personnel increase and a 6% operations increase driven by premiums, retirements and equipment maintenance. Major capital declines from FY26 reflect completion of ARPA‑funded and Hobas projects; FY27 will focus on water mains, pump station rehabs, and design work to ensure assets are online before the South plant comes online.
Hatcher and Gaster highlighted specific projects: replacing the chemical storage building at the treatment plant to add containment and drains (construction planned next year); designing the Murphysboro Road water main and looping Columbia/collector mains to support pressure zones; and rehabilitating older pump stations with standardized submersible stations. Staff said they applied for EPA cybersecurity/grant funding related to SCADA upgrades and are assessing WIFIA loan steps for plant financing.
On biosolids, staff described early pilot tests blending biosolids with compost. Preliminary results showed biosolids with roughly 25% total solids; a 50/50 biosolids‑compost mix produced the strongest nutrient and germination results in initial testing. Staff said they have been delivering trial loads to a compost partner and have not received odor complaints so far; they are considering storage, drying, bagging and market options, and proposed a potential reuse facility timeline that would begin further development only after the committee signals support.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 2319; topfinish SEG 3080
