New sewage plans underway, new levee holes found
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Discussions of sewage dominated Harrisburg City Council's Thursday meeting.
Engineer Jim Brown who will be writing up the sewage facility plan gave a presentation of three options for the sewage treatment plant that last was substantially renovated in 1969. He said the current plant is limited by space, is in the flood plain and is facing needed improvement.
The city could rehabilitate and expand the plant, partially rehabilitate it and expand it or relocate the entire plant. He said a complete rehabilitation he oversaw of Benton's sewer plant cost over $700,000.
A problem at the current plant regards the trickling filters. Sewage goes into vats over a limestone bed filter and it is sprayed. Acidic rain over time has deteriorated the limestone "to mush" which creates ponding of sewage and contributes to the sewage smell on that end of town, Brown said.
Several indicated the desired goal is to pump all sewage to the old city reservoir on the north side of the city that is currently used as a holding area for storm sewage. That solution should alleviate the smell and should hold the sewage needed to accommodate the city's long term expansion goals.
That option would require digesters constructed to break down sewage either aerobically or non-aerobically, Brown said.
The first step is to devise the facility plan which could take about two years and finding the funding could take two years, Brown said.
Council approved a motion for Julie Patera of the Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission to work with Brown to find funding.
Man-Tra-Con temporary workers have been clearing around the old reservoirs and made an alarming discovery. There are what sewage plant worker Bobby Brown termed "huge holes in the levee."
"We looked at it and it is very severe and very disturbing," Mayor Eric Gregg said.
The holes are on the west side of the levee. Brown brought photos of Gregg standing nearly waste deep in one of the holes. He said the deterioration is probably partly due to flood-related erosion and partly due to burrowing animals.
Patera agreed to look into emergency funding to repair the problems.
Following a closed session to discuss personnel and contract negotiations council voted to move Jared Conkle to work at the sewer plant part-time effective Feb. 16 and for Robbie Dorris to work at the plant on an 89-day status.
Two employees at the plant are off for an extended period, Gregg said.
Council voted to meet in adjourned session 9 a.m. Monday to discuss the insurance employees currently have.
Gregg invited all employees to attend and asked each department designated one person to speak. Jim and Steve Williams of Williams and Associates and Jamie Simmons will be providing information.
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DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.</li>
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