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Cecilton contractor says wastewater reactors clogged, council weighs repairs
Summary
Susquehanna Operational Services told the Town of Cecilton on Sept. 21 that sequencing batch reactors and several pumps need cleaning or replacement, that spare parts are scarce, and that an alarm autodialer was recently restored; council will review quotes before deciding next steps.
George Smith, owner of Susquehanna Operational Services LLC, told the Town of Cecilton Mayor and Council on Sept. 21 that the town’s wastewater and water facilities need immediate attention and repairs.
Smith said the sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) are "full of trash, grit, etc." and that material is clogging pumps and interfering with treatment processes. He told the council two wasting pumps are broken and cannot be retrieved until tanks are pumped and cleaned. Smith added that a blower intended for filter backwash was seized and appears irreparable, and that many spare parts and some automation components are not readily available.
The report presented to council said the plants run on automated controls and contain motorized valves and transducers; if a valve fails, staff must visit as often as every three hours to operate equipment manually. Jordan Smith, identified in the report as the licensed operator, has been checking the facilities almost daily and documenting before-and-after conditions with photos. An auto-dialer alarm used to notify operators was recently repaired and programmed, the contractors said.
Administrator Cooper told the council the town has already seen some improvement since Susquehanna began work and that staff will review the contractors’ report and quotes before instructing Susquehanna to proceed with repairs.
No formal motion or vote on repairs was recorded at the meeting; the council indicated it will review costs and return with direction at a future meeting.
