Taos wastewater plant manager warns of aging equipment, higher testing costs

Phil Webster, plant manager at the Taos regional wastewater treatment plant, briefed the council on operations, regulatory changes and capital needs during the annual update.

Webster described the treatment process (screening, grit removal, bacteriological basins, membrane bioreactor and UV disinfection), and said the plant’s design capacity is 2.4 million gallons per day while it currently treats roughly 1.0 MGD. He told councilors most influent is metered from the town and the Pueblo but noted some collection areas remain unmetered and that staff are considering purchasing flow meters to improve data.

Webster outlined recurring operational problems: failing fine screens that let debris reach membranes, pump failures, reduced aeration capacity, a near-full solids holding basin, and spare‑parts lead times that slow repairs. He described adaptive changes—rehabilitating screens ahead of replacement, building spare parts inventories and installing emergency aeration circuits—but warned the plant operates at roughly 50% aeration capacity in some basins and that sustained failures could imperil treatment levels.

On permitting, Webster said a recent reissued permit increased laboratory testing requirements to include PFAS and other constituents; laboratory costs have risen from an estimated $30 per year (prior testing program) to roughly $150,000 per year for the expanded testing regimen. He said the plant’s first PFAS samples were “not significant” and below drinking-water thresholds, but emphasized the need for biannual monitoring and public reporting.

Staff described a Water Trust Board application for about $8 million to fund projects including a septic receival station and other capital improvements. Councilors pressed on life‑extension timelines; presenters said that with the planned short-term rehabilitation and pump replacements completed within about two years, the plant should be restored to expected operational capacity and be positioned to consider later investments to meet tighter future nutrient limits.

Webster also recommended upstream solutions (a convenience/septic station) to reduce concentrated septic loads that disrupt plant biology, and urged continued budgeting for preventive maintenance. The council and staff agreed to continue pursuing grant funding and to review the preliminary engineering report attached to the briefing for detailed cost and sequencing information.