Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Looking north while traveling on Fox Farm Road, the stone screening building, towering blue digesting tanks and concrete carousels of Warsaw's second wastewater treatment plant are visible across the fields, between bare tree branches.
The state-of-the-art facility is expected to be fully operational this summer, ahead of schedule, according to Jones and Henry engineer Jeff Hersha.
Hersha, who oversees all aspects of construction, said the contractors, Indiana Construction Corp. and Corporate Construction Inc., have been able to make great progress. It is Hersha's responsibility to make sure the contractors are doing what they said they'd do, according to specifications.
"We'll begin taking flow the last part of July or the first part of August," he said.
Initially, the plant will take in 1.8 million gallons per day while the "old" plant handles 1.5 million gallons. The new facility will have the capacity to take in 3.9 million gallons a day, the same as the current facility in Boggs Industrial Park. For a while, samples for the laboratory, in the process of being upgraded, will be tested at the current plant.
Cost for the new treatment plant is estimated at $10.6 million, while cost for the collection system is estimated at $6.7 million.
Access to the facility is gained via an easement through the G & G Hauling & Excavating site on CR 150W, also known as McElroy Hill Road.
"That much ground allows for future growth. We can double capacity of the plant without a problem," Francis said of the 20-acre property.
The screening building, where non-biodegradable components, like small objects children have flushed, are removed from the incoming wastewater, is the first building beyond the entrance.
The flow continues on to the enormous oval carousels, where biosolids are separated and settled. The liquid runoff continues to the final settling tanks, through the post-aeration chamber, down a channel and into the Tippecanoe River.
Steel rods poking out of the ground are in place around the carousels to be encased in concrete for more decking.
Hersha had nothing but praise for Kuert Concrete's work.
"They preheat the concrete to about 68 degrees," he said, "and have a product able to withstand a 4,500-pound test in seven days."
Taking 28 days to be completely cured, the concrete was kept warm in cold weather with shelters and blanketing of the newly-poured area.
The biosolids become "Class B" sludge, a product that can be land applied, as it passes through digester machines, has polymers added in a thickening process and is pressed to remove any liquid. At the end of this process the sludge could be land applied within one day.
Warsaw public works superintendent Lacy Francis Jr. said the city won't have to apply the sludge within 24 hours, though.
There haven't been any huge change orders for the project since a population of endangered club shell clams were discovered in the river. At that time, the channel was rerouted to slow the outflow.
An ultraviolet lighting system will be installed along the channel as a final bacteria-buster before the outflow reaches the river.
The City of Warsaw Building Corp., a not-for-profit corporation, was created in October 2001, because the city is dedicating County Economic Development Income Tax revenues, among other funds, to pay for the new plant.
Using EDIT without a leasing company would have caused the city to exceed the 2 percent debt limit. With this standard procedure and issuance of lease rental revenue bonds to pay for a portion of the project, the city's debt limit is not affected.
The building corporation's board of directors includes Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins, John Elliott and Bob Gast.
In January 2002, sewage customers began paying increased rates, $24.50 per month, up from $14.50 per month, to help cover bond issues for the plant and a collection system.
In addition to EDIT, sewage works revenues and Northern Economic Development Area tax increment revenues have been applied toward the plant's construction.
