Council moves forward with MBR water recycling facility

February 23, 2007
Santa Paula City Council

After another meeting that stretched into the early morning hours, the Santa Paula City Council decided on a split vote to jumpstart the put-on-hold design process for a new wastewater treatment plant using MBR technology but left the door open a crack for a deep-shaft alternative.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAfter another meeting that stretched into the early morning hours, the Santa Paula City Council decided on a split vote to jumpstart the put-on-hold design process for a new wastewater treatment plant using MBR technology but left the door open a crack for a deep-shaft alternative.Held at City Hall Council Chambers, Wednesday’s special meeting drew proponents of Vertreat technology as well as three members of the Fillmore Council that has also been wrestling with replacing its aging treatment plant.Noram Engineering of Canada asked that it be allowed an additional 30 days to bring back a firm estimate on Vetreat, which would require the sinking two, 300-feet deep, 8 foot diameter shafts.The Council adopted the Environmental Impact Report and MBR technology in April 2005 under the gun from the state Regional Water Quality Control Board which agreed to apply about $8 million in fines for pollutant discharges to the cost of a new facility.Then Mayor John Procter brokered the deal with the state agency after the Council learned about the looming fines in 2002.Last spring City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz and the Council put the brakes on the 30-percent completed design process due to concerns of costs that had spiraled to about $70 million and ordered a Value Engineering study to carve out costs.Proponents of Vertreat - which has about 200 plants through the world but only one municipal facility in the United States - urged the Council to consider the alternate technology.In December, facing an every tightening deadline, the Council requested a presentation by Noram, which owns the technology, but it wasn’t until Feb. 13 that the first meeting was held.At the Feb. 13 meeting Noram estimated that the cost could be $58 and up but on Wednesday the figures - which would included a private funding package - were estimated at about $42 million.After hours of testimony on technical and financing issues, various technologies and their life spans and pros and cons of MBR and Vertreat, the Council decided to move.
Mayor Ray Luna said he has done his homework and noted that “every engineer that I spoke to” was not familiar with the deep shaft process and Vertreat.“...my responsibility is not to gamble with the taxpayers’ money,” and Luna noted that Vertreat’s lack of presence in the state market is troubling.Councilman Bob Gonzales made a motion to start the EIR process with Vertreat that was seconded by Councilman Ralph Fernandez.“I’m not willing to support,” the motion due to various issues including legal implications said Procter.Although believing that Vertreat has “some real virtues” Procter said that the potential “fallout bothers me more than the technology...”“...it’s hard for me to turn my back on potential savings of $20 million, I don’t know how the council can do that,” said Fernandez.Luna made the motion - seconded by Procter - to direct Bobkiewicz to resume the MBR design process and return to the Council with financing options.Fernandez said that fixed numbers were available for an MBR facility “we would know where we’re going” but that the potential cost overrun could range into the millions, “affecting those citizens who can least afford it...”Later in the discussion Councilman Dr. Gabino Aguirre noted that “the specter of not getting it done” and facing ever stiffening fines would also be borne by the community.Although issuing orders to move ahead with the MBR design process and financing options Fernandez, Gonzales and Procter passed a motion for a report on what timeline impacts considering alternate technology would have on the process.



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