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Water and wastewater updates: wells, treatment capacity and a possible reuse pipeline to the canal
Summary
Staff described new wells and treatment upgrades, said the wastewater plant treats about 8.7M gallons per day (capacity ~15.4M), and raised a concept to repurpose treated effluent to a canal to earn regulatory credits — a technically feasible idea that will require DEQ approvals and robust public outreach.
Public works and utilities staff used the budget workshop to walk council through near-term water and wastewater investments and to test an idea that could reduce regulatory load and stretch scarce potable supplies.
Tony (water/wastewater operations) told council the treatment plant currently treats about 8.7 million gallons per day and that the plant has roughly 15.4 million gallons per day of permitted capacity. He said the utility is adding well capacity (the recently completed well 17 is expected on line in the fall) and pursuing automatic metering infrastructure and pilot treatment work to improve redundancy and water quality.
On wastewater, staff summarized a program of collection-system repairs (the department has performed dozens of trenchless repairs in-house, saving roughly $100,000) and expansion projects. The largest CIP highlighted was the staged Lincoln lift-station project: staff described intended phasing that spreads roughly $22–25 million in costs across two fiscal years to add gravity mains, redundant pressure piping and a new lift station to relieve the Franklin regional station and improve system resiliency.
Tony also described reuse concepts under DEQ oversight: instead of discharging treated effluent directly, the city could route a portion to the nearby canal or other users and potentially earn regulatory credits that reduce discharge limits or compliance costs. He cautioned that such a project would face technical and outreach hurdles and that the state’s regulation of nutrients, plus public concern about contaminants such as PFAS, would require consultant studies and town-hall engagement before implementation. "If we can get approval and get support, we would just go right ahead with this concept," Tony said, while noting that careful communications would be needed because "people know where it comes from."
Staff committed to returning with cost estimates, regulatory pathways, and public-engagement plans if council wants to explore reuse in more depth. No decision to pursue reuse was made at the workshop.
