Wastewater disposal standards could drain ratepayers’ wallets in Helena, Montana

Current technology won’t meet the ultimate standards for the amounts of total nitrogen and phosphorus that are allowed to be in wastewater, say Camp and Fitzwater, so whatever the city spends for upgrades it can’t buy what it needs.

A $100 million bill for wastewater plant improvements to further treat wastewater and move toward meeting more stringent standards is a low number, Camp said of what the city and ratepayers could face.

Add in all of the extra equipment to remove enough total nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as address limits for copper and zinc in wastewater and the overall cost rises to $150 million or more, said Mark Fitzwater, the city’s wastewater plant superintendent.

The monthly bill for residential and commercial property owners, Camp said, "goes through the roof."

AL KNAUBER Independent Record

Full Story: http://helenair.com/news/politics/city-county/wastewater-disposal-standards-could-drain-ratepayers-wallets/article_725f4d7e-e590-56c9-9ec7-fabba6a6e78a.html

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"Every batch that we have run through this plant, the final product has come back with zero detect for any nutrients."

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