Mayor Butch Berry called an emergency meeting Sept. 18, and read Resolution 872, a disaster proclamation regarding emergency loan funding for wastewater management. Berry explained that on Friday, Sept.13, the receiving creek of the town branch of the wastewater treatment plant was filled with brown and discolored effluent.
When staff examined the plant, it showed normal discharge from the treatment works functioning as designed, but the effluent could not be accounted for.
There were no signs of obvious waste discharge into the receiving stream, so staff and engineers said they believe that one of the waste storage tanks is leaking untreated waste below the normal waterline and into the groundwater.
Berry proclaimed that immediate attention is required to protect public health and before there is further damage. To render emergency relief, he proclaimed an emergency disaster. This entitles the city to aid, relief, and assistance, and allow for the implementation of the emergency operation plan. The proclamation will expire after 120 days unless otherwise extended by Berry.
Berry said he had contacted Arkansas Dept. of Environmental Quality, who told him he had to proceed to do whatever needs to be done to eliminate the discharge and start the cleanup. Berry presented an application for a low interest loan for $100,000 from the state’s Natural Resource Commission for the repairs at the wastewater treatment plant.
Public Works Director Simon Wiley said that the leak is raising e.coli levels in the Leatherwood Creek. He said that data from the discharge line is that it is functioning as it should, and that from the discharge stream there are almost non-existent levels.
The e.coli levels are not “crazy high,” Wiley said, and are within levels for the state permit.
Berry said he had met with Zane Lewis of McClelland Engineering, and the general contractor, to discuss addressing the problem. Lewis said that examination of the treatment plant didn’t give any indication of where the leak was coming from. They did observe a falling liquid level in an existing tank over the weekend, but unless they drain it and examine it they won’t be able to be sure it is the cause. Funding is needed so that the wastewater from that tank can be moved to another tank that has been examined to make sure it won’t leak. Once the wastewater has been moved from the suspected faulty tank, then they can determine what is going on an come up with a solution.
Alderman Harry Meyer asked how long the process would take. Wiley replied that the contractor would arrive on Monday to begin the work. Wiley said he had reached out to Steve Septic to see if they could haul away the sludge from the tank, but the company said the job would be too large for them and suggested Wiley contact Bubs in Tontitown.
The resolution was read and alderman voted to pass it, authorizing application for the $100,000 loan.