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Engineer says La Cygne needs ~two acres or polymer chemistry change to fix small lagoons
Summary
Ponzer‑Youngquist engineers recommended either enlarging lagoon capacity (about two acres) or switching to polymer chemistry and pilot jar tests; council asked staff to pursue land options and jar testing before committing to a final design.
Ponzer‑Youngquist engineer John Brann told La Cygne council members that the city’s existing sludge/backwash lagoons are too small to reliably handle alum sludge and backwash volume.
Brann said that, unless the city can acquire roughly two acres adjacent to the water plant and reconfigure cells, it would need to change chemicals and conduct pilot jar tests to determine a polymer alternative. "If the city wants to continue to use the existing basins the city would need to look at other coagulants other than alum in the chemical set up in the plant," Brann said during an engineering presentation. He recommended liquid polymer and metering pumps for field testing.
The council asked staff to look for land and to arrange jar tests through current chemical suppliers. Brann noted the polymer option may raise chemical costs but can increase settling capacity substantially—potentially six times the existing basin capacity when effective. The engineer also recommended a split flow so the backwash and sludge segregate while the city evaluates alternatives.
Speakers: John Brann (Ponzer‑Youngquist), Public Works Superintendent George Craig.
