New $75.6M Wastewater Treatment Plant on Peirce Island?

Caught between a rock and a hard place, the City Council unanimously approved building a new $75.6 million wastewater treatment plant on Peirce Island to bring the city into compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Deputy Public Works Director Peter Rice said the city will begin the design phase of the project on July 1 and the new wastewater treatment plant could be completed by May 2017.

City Councilors realized they had to move forward with the project that will deploy a secondary treatment technology known as biological aerated filter so the city can achieve nitrogen levels of 8 milligrams per liter on a seasonal basis.

According to Don Chelton, a consultant with AECOM hired by the city Public Works Department, the EPA will more than likely give the city a seasonal permit, which means the wastewater treatment plant has to meet that 8 milligrams per liter target between April and November, but would not have to meet that standard during the winter months.

Chelton said the project will be difficult because Peirce Island has a lot of rocky ledges and Fort Washington is a historic site that will require some remediation to preserve it. He said construction would involve demolishing the existing filter building and constructing a new building with new tanks. He said the $75.6 million pricetag also includes 20 years of maintenance and operation.

Rice told councilors it has taken the city Public Works Department several years and many pilot tests to reach the point where they now have a plan that will incorporate the right technology to bring the city into compliance. "It's been a real long process to get to this point," he said.

During a 90-minute work session that preceded the council's vote to move ahead with the wastewater treatment project, Councilor Chris Dwyer asked Chelton how long the new building and tanks would last.

Chelton told her the building would last about 50 years and the equipment, tanks and components would be good for about 20 years. He said the new construction would also come with a two-year warranty.

Some councilors indicated that even though the new wastewater treatment plant upgrades represent the largest project ever undertaken by the city, it is the right thing to do.

"This isn’t just for the EPA, it’s for our environment,” said Councilor Esther Kennedy.

Councilor Brad Lown said the wastewater treatment plant upgrades also represent a good value for city taxpayers. "From a strictly taxpayers' point of view, I think this is the right thing to do," Lown said.

Mayor Eric Spear noted the construction project will be very disruptive to South End residents and City Manager John Bohenko said the city would have several meetings to inform affected residents before any construction begins. The construction project will also require a 20- to 30-year bond.