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Huntington pushes wastewater upgrade after CDBG setback; DEQ compliance timeline tight
Summary
Council advanced engineering and funding steps for a wastewater plant overhaul to stop river discharge and enable land application of effluent after Business Oregon denied a CDBG grant because the city had not yet raised sewer rates as previously agreed.
Huntington’s council and engineering consultant Anderson/Perry outlined next steps this spring as the city races to bring its wastewater treatment plant into compliance with DEQ requirements and avoid ongoing penalties.
Brad Baird of Anderson/Perry told the council that the DEQ is supportive of a plan to land‑apply treated wastewater for irrigation but that an application to Business Oregon for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was denied because Huntington had not implemented an agreed sewer rate increase. Baird described a funding timeline that includes a one‑stop meeting with Business Oregon soon, a block grant application (previously denied) and loan options to keep the project on schedule. “With all this in motion the DEQ would be more likely to grant the city an extension,” he said.
The council previously adopted an emergency resolution to allow Anderson/Perry to be hired quickly so engineering and drawings can move forward without the multi‑week RFQ process. Mayor Lillian Mathews was authorized to sign grant and loan documents when they are ready. Council members discussed buying or obtaining land for irrigation; Anderson/Perry emphasized that a landowner agreement (the Barber Ranch was discussed as the preferred site) is crucial to the plan and that alternative sites would raise complexity and cost.
Baird said the plant as built cannot reliably remove phosphorus without upgrades and that those upgrades would likely require more complex treatment and possibly a Level 3 operator. He recommended staged, graduated sewer‑rate increases to stabilize utility revenue during construction; the council voted to pursue a graduated increase schedule and to prioritize the loan application while reworking the grant strategy.
Next procedural steps: council authorization of engineering work already approved under the emergency resolution, continuing outreach to potential irrigation landowners, and a plan to show Business Oregon a formal council action on sewer rates to strengthen any renewed funding application.
