Sewer rates to increase with treatment plant project

The North Koochiching Sanitary Sewer Board Nov. 21 authorized it’s engineering consultant to seek bids on the project, according to the district’s executive director Tim “Chopper” McBride. The project could cost up to $12 million.

The action is separate from the city’s recent adoption of a new water rate that will increase the cost to water customers.

“Some people will not like it,” he said of the increase in sewer rates caused by the project, “but it is good news. We know there is a water rate increase and heat is going up and about six months to a year into construction people will see their rates increase.”

Bids are to be sought around Christmas and McBride estimated that construction will begin sometime this spring. The project is expected to be completed in January of 2014. The cost of the project is being financed through the state, and users will not see a debt service on their individual accounts. Instead, users will pay for the project through their monthly rate increase.

The project is needed to bring the plant into compliance and to meet the needs of the future, he said.

“We have a 61-year-old plant, half of it, and the other half is 26 years old,” he said. “Fundamentally, these plants, in good soil conditions, last 20-30 years.”

Borderland, he said, has soil that contains acids that causes metal to rot.

“The plant, in my opinion, is entering the catastrophic area,” he said. Part of the project will bring the plant into compliance with state rules on phosphorus and mercury, which McBride said could cost up to $4 million.

The part of the treatment plant that was constructed in 1950 will be replaced and the part of the plant constructed in 1985 will be renovated, he explained.

The cost increase by moving forward with the project was not taken lightly by the board, he said.

“We had several meetings, and of course there are concerns about the charge, and in this day and age you understand that, but in a societal setting, sanitation is No. 1, even before water,” he said. “We have to have it and we can’t take a chance in continuing operation of this plant. We are lucky to have a fantastic crew and experts keeping a quality operation with the deteriorating facility.”

The new plant will be built to handle three million gallons of sewage, which will provide for the additional sewage from lines being installed toward Rainy Lake and potentially lines extending west of the city limits.

“That definitely was the whole goal with the renovation and upgrade was being compliant and looking at future growth,” said McBride.

McBride said he expects the project to add to the local economy by providing construction jobs.