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Consultant warns Bloomington wastewater plant needs major upgrades; construction likely 2028–29
Summary
Delta 3 told the Village of Bloomington the 1983 wastewater plant meets roughly 57% of design flow but faces modern DNR limits (ammonia, E. coli, PFAS, chlorides, phosphorus). Consultants recommended mechanical headworks, UV disinfection, new sludge tank and other replacements; planning and grant work will continue in 2026–27.
Delta 3 consultant Jordan Fure presented an evaluation of Bloomington's wastewater treatment plant on Nov. 3, saying the facility—installed in 1983 and operating at about 57% of design flow—was not designed to meet regulations added since construction, including ammonia limits, E. coli (fecal coliform) standards, PFAS, chlorides and total phosphorus limits. He said those regulatory changes mean the plant will require significant upgrades to remain compliant.
Fure itemized equipment and structural deficiencies and recommended a set of prioritized upgrades: replace the obsolete motor control center with variable frequency drives, upgrade the headworks with a mechanical screen and automatic bagger, replace the aging comminutor, install UV disinfection in place of chlorine, build a new sludge storage tank outside the floodplain, replace blowers with more efficient, enclosed units and add dissolved-oxygen controls. He noted the generator currently powers only blower No. 1 and has reached the end of its useful life.
"The plant was built in 1983 and additional regulations have been added since then," Fure said, summarizing why the upgrades are necessary. Delta 3 proposed a timeline in which the final evaluation report is delivered in December 2025, a facility plan is developed in 2026, plans and specifications and grant applications are prepared in 2027, and construction would likely occur in 2028–2029.
Fure also recommended operational changes that would reduce risk and long-term cost, including converting to UV disinfection to eliminate hazardous chlorine dosing and installing a mechanical headworks to reduce maintenance burdens. He told the board Delta 3 will return in February 2026 to discuss priorities and cost estimates and said the village will receive a $5,000 reimbursement through Focus on Energy for the evaluation work.
Board members asked whether village offices could be co-located at the wastewater site as part of a larger project. Clerk/Treasurer Shawna Atterbury said co-location could be efficient for staff, but board members raised practical concerns about space and parking and requested more information before pursuing the option.
The board did not approve construction funding at the meeting; Fure said Delta 3 will pursue possible grant opportunities and DNR low-interest loans and provide preliminary grant information by February with full applications due in June 2026.
Ending: Delta 3 will send the final evaluation in December, return to discuss the facility plan in February, and present cost and priority options before the board as grant applications are prepared.
