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UPDATE

Wastewater Facility Plan
August, 2000


PUBLIC MEETING ON WASTEWATER FACILITY PLANNING
Thursday, September 21, 2000
7:00 pm
Spokane Regional Health District Auditorium
1101 W. College Ave.
Spokane, WA


YOUR INPUT ON WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT!!!
We appreciate your interest in learning about the wastewater management challenges that will face our community over the next ten years. Please take a few minutes to read the articles in this project update. If you want to receive additional updates and public meeting notices, please call 477-7181 to request to be added to the mailing list.

Inside This Issue:
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT: an upcoming challenge for Spokane County
WASTEWATER FACILITY PLANNING: what it means to our community
FUTURE WASTEWATER TREATMENT: what are the possible alternatives
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: future opportunities you won't want to miss

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WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT:

an upcoming challenge for Spokane County



Spokane County Utilities is in the process of developing a Wastewater Facilities Plan which will identify wastewater facilities and programs that must be implemented to meet County customer’s long-term needs. As you may know, Spokane County is expanding its wastewater collection system to reduce the number of septic tanks located over the Spokane Aquifer. Also, the County’s sewer service area is projected to experience significant growth over the next twenty years to meet Growth Management requirements.

Since 1980, when Spokane County began the aquifer protection program, over 20,000 customers have connected to the sewer. When the septic tank elimination program ends in the year 2015, another 20,000 existing septic tanks will be eliminated. In addition, the year 2000 Comprehensive Plan projects growth in the Urban Growth Area over the next 20 years of approximately 35,000 people. By the year 2020, wastewater flows in the Urban Growth Area are projected to be over 20 million gallons per day. 		Currently, wastewater generated in the County is sent, via a network of pipes, to the Spokane Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant which is owned and operated by the City of Spokane. A 1980 inter-local agreement established the basis for the City to treat up to 10 million gallons per day of County generated wastewater. The County expects to exceed that capacity by the end of 2007.

Since an increase in capacity at the Spokane Regional Treatment Plant may not be available to the County, the County has begun a wastewater planning process to develop long-term strategies to protect the environment and provide wastewater management techniques that are economical to local ratepayers. The process involves the evaluation of future County wastewater service areas, projection of future wastewater flows, and recommendations for new wastewater treatment facilities and wastewater reclamation programs.

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WASTEWATER FACILITY PLANNING:

what it means to our community

The Spokane County Wastewater Facilities Plan will define wastewater management strategies, facility requirements, resource needs, and implementation steps for both near-term (20-year) and long-term (50-year) wastewater management needs.

The planning project includes:
  • Negotiations between Spokane County and the City of Spokane regarding regional wastewater management issues, such as treatment capacity allocations, methods for distributing costs, and future service areas.
  • Implementation of a public involvement process to inform the public about the project, gather public comments, and develop recommendations that the community supports.
  • Definition of current and future wastewater quantities and characteristics. Identification of regulatory requirements associated with potential effluent and biosolids management strategies.
  • Evaluation of the capabilities and constraints associated with the major wastewater conveyance and treatment systems currently serving the County’s planning area.
  • Identification of wastewater treatment alternatives, evaluation of alternatives, and development of a recommended wastewater management approach for the next 50-years, with initial focus on a 20-year plan.
  • Development of a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the County’s Wastewater Facilities Plan, and securing formal approval of the Plan by the Board of County Commissioners, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Washington Department of Health.

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FUTURE WASTEWATER TREATMENT:

what are the possible alternatives

Eventually, due to physical and environmental constraints, the County may not be able to send all of its wastewater to the City of Spokane plant for treatment. During this wastewater planning process, the County will be investigating several wastewater treatment alternatives. For each possible alternative considered, the wastewater effluent will receive an advanced level of treatment and meet or exceed all federal, state and local requirements for protection of human health, groundwater, river quality, and aquatic habitat.

Some of the possible alternatives that are being evaluated by the wastewater engineers include:
  • Discharge of treated wastewater effluent to the Spokane River, using one or more new treatment plants located between Liberty Lake and the City of Spokane.
  • Discharge of treated wastewater effluent to the Little Spokane River, providing flow augmentation in the Little Spokane River to help meet minimum stream flow needs.
  • Use of treated and reclaimed wastewater for irrigation of agricultural lands, golf courses, school grounds and parks.
  • Use of treated and reclaimed wastewater for creation of wetlands.
  • Underground storage of treated and reclaimed wastewater for subsequent use for irrigation or release to streams for flow augmentation during critical low-flow periods.
  • Recharge of the Spokane Aquifer with treated wastewater effluent, with the co-mingled water being available for all uses including potable water supplies.
  • Discharge of wastewater to the Liberty Lake treatment plant for treatment and subsequent discharge to the Spokane River.

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PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT:

future opportunities you won't want to miss

Various public involvement opportunities will be offered during the Wastewater Facility Planning process to inform the public about the project, identify community issues of concern, and provide information to the project team that will help them develop recommendations that the community supports.

Some of the public information and involvement opportunities that will be offered or conducted include:
  • Interviews of community stakeholders to assist in understanding community issues.
  • A series of updates or fact sheets that provide information on the planning process.
  • Presentations to community groups.
  • A series of public meetings during the planning process.
  • Meetings with community stakeholders at key points during the planning process.
  • Information on wastewater treatment and water quality presented at various community forums.
  • Requests to the media to present information on wastewater treatment and water quality issues.
Be sure to attend the first Wastewater Facility Plan public meeting to learn more about the process and share your insights!

Thursday, September 21, 2000
7:00 pm
Spokane Regional Health District Auditorium
1101 W. College Ave.
Spokane WA

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