If you live, travel or work on the east side of town near Washington and Beechtree, you likely get more than a whiff of the Wastewater Sewer Plant to remind you of its location. The photo here is from the 2008 Bayou Picnic. We have a beautiful park next door, but on some days and at certain times of the year, the odor can be terrible.
At this time of year. the temperature of the flow is at it's highest. As a result, the odor gets worse - when the waste gets septic, hydrogen sulfide results. This sulfury, rotten egg smell is offensive, and an east wind blows the odor through some otherwise lovely neighborhoods.
The City is committed to joining our partners (Spring Lake Township, Grand Haven Township, Village of Spring Lake and Ferrysburg) to bring a near end to the odor problem. The cost of putting lids on our digesters is approximately $1 million, but the value of our neighborhoods and our overall quality of life is invaluable.
Current capital improvements at the Wastewater plants include biological phosphorous removal and then the installation of a UV disinfecting system. The next project on the list is ODOR CONTROL.
Biological phosphorus removal causes the removal of phosphorus from the waste stream without the use of chemical binding agents. This process is environmentally preferable - anytime we can deliver clean water to the Grand River without using chemical additives, it is a venture worth the investment - total cost is just under $300,000.
UV disinfection is a widely used method. We now introduce chlorine to kill off remaining harmful bacteria from plant effluent. Ultra violet light can do the same thing, without using chemical agents. Again, a preferred method, however the nearly $1.1 million price tag has Board Members looking more closely at alternatives and other priorities.
Odor control would consist of covers over our primary digesters. Current estimates are approximately $1 million. A heavy price, but possibly worth the investment if we can restore property potential in the surrounding area of Grand Haven.
We can never do away with the odors entirely, but we also cannot turn our back on this problem. City Council remains dedicated to ongoing cooperative improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
