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New Wastewater Plant Nearing Completion

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

PLANT CITY - By the end of November, a portion of the city's $56 million wastewater plant will come online to process and return treated water to the environment.
City utilities operations manager Frank Coughenour led an Oct. 22 tour of the main components of the new treatment facility. City officials including City Manager David Sollenberger, his assistant Greg Horwedel, Mayor Rick Lott and all the city commissioners were present for the tour.

"One of the three treatment trains now under construction will be ready to operate before the end of November," Coughenour said. "When the plant is completed, we will be able to treat 10 million gallons routinely each day and up to 27 million gallons at capacity when needed."

The new plant is distinctive in its use of above-ground tanks and basins compared with the in-ground settling ponds formerly used. The old plant, which is operating adjacent to the one under construction, is limited in its capacity of about 7 million gallons daily. During the past two or three years, the plant, off Alexander Street near Interstate 4, has struggled to operate in compliance with environmental limits.
Coughenour said the first treatment equipment to come in service should be able to handle all the treated wastewater flowing into the plant.

"We'll have to play it by ear. But if the rainfall is at a normal level for November we should be able to take the old plant out of service," he said. "We can run both systems if we need to. But the new plant is expected to be complete and online by the end of the year."

The plant takes sewage, industrial wastewater and stormwater, and through a process of screens, biological and chemical treatments, plus additional filtering, removes virtually all of the pollutants.

Not considered usable as drinking water, the finished effluent can be sold to industrial plants that can use the water, reducing the need for ground and well water. Some residential, agricultural and commercial properties also use the water for irrigation. The city has almost 3 million gallons each day contracted for such use. Additional contracts are being negotiated, Coughenour said. The remainder of the treated water is discharged into the East Side Canal. The water flows to Blackwater Creek and the Hillsborough River.

Sollenberger said the project was the single most expensive expenditure made by the city.

"First of all, we have a great facility coming out of the ground," Sollenberger said. "I have been watching it develop since we first broke ground. It is a very impressive addition to the city."

The plant was financed at a 2.5 percent interest rate through the Florida Revolving Loan program, Sollenberger said.

It was Sollenberger's idea to have the commissioners take a tour of the nearly complete facility. During the tour, the mayor noted there was room in the plant design for further construction.

"As advanced and efficient as this plant is, it is good to know there is room built in for expansion," Lott said. "It's important to us, considering the investment being made, that there is room for additional capacity should we need it."

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451 or gnewman@tampatrib.com.

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