NEPHI SEWER LAGOONS
• Nephi City recently reviewed its wastewater
plan. The city will work toward developing a new
system starting in 2008, the council heard.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Nephi's wastewater self assessment was completed for the
calendar year 2005.
It was prepared by Craig Pew, superintendent of the water
department and his staff and was reviewed by Nephi City
Council on Tuesday.
Staff of the water department in addition to Pew, DRC
Collection II and Treatment I operators, are Justin
Blackett, Mary Palmer and Mike Lynn.
By 2008, the city should be moving toward developing a
new system since the one it has is reaching the capacity
under which it was designed to operate.
"The state of Utah requires each organization operating a
wastewater system to conduct and approve one of these
self-assessments each year," said Randy McKnight, city
administrator.
"In some cases, having high points is not good," he said.
"The higher your points the worse you should feel."
Nephi developed one of the first mechanical sewage
treatment plants in the state of Utah. That happened in 1948
and the city has long since abandoned the first plant and
site.
However some parts of the collection system are as old as
that beginning date. Pipes beneath the earth in some areas
of the city were put into place when the system was first
constructed.
"The oldest part of the present system is 58 years old,"
said McKnight.
The city now uses a gravity and lagoon system for sewage
treatment.
The lagoons now used were constructed in 1984.
It is not just the score that needs to be considered,
said McKnight. The state publishes a priority list based on
the rankings of the self assessment and that list determines
when a new system should be constructed
Some of the questions asked by the state concern
revenues. They must be sufficient to cover operation,
maintenance, repair and replacement. There must also be
staff to ensure proper operation.
Nephi earned a zero ranking, the best, on those
points.
"Yes to all questions means the city earns zero points,
no means the city must add 25 points," said McKnight.
"Has a dedicated sinking fund been established to provide
for repair and replacement costs?" asked the self
assessment.
In this instance, the city failed and earned all 25
points for a negative answer.
McKnight said that by 2008, the city should be setting
aside money in a sinking fund.
Grants may also be available to help with new
construction costs.
In 2005, there were approximately 43 new residential
connections to the state. There were also nine new
commercial or industrial connections.
"Approximately 102 new people were served," said
McKnight.
The community is presently involved in formal planning
for system expansion and upgrading and are planning toward
expanding the lagoon capacity. In the next 10 years, the
city plans to construct line extensions, in addition to
expanding the lagoon capacity.
The average design flow (MGD) criteria for the city
system is .553 and 90 percent of the design criteria is
.497.
The highs for the system occurred in April and August
when .450 was reached. The average for the year was .440.
Therefore, the city didn't ever exceed the design flow.
The only problems encountered in the system in 2005 were
caused by grease build in the main line. That is caused by
people dumping cooking and other grease into the home's
drains.
Nephi's total for the self assessment, required annually
by the state, was 70.
That score was derived from the various parts, operation
and maintenance, capital improvements, general questions,
and projected needs.
A collection system and planning program section dealing
with system age, bypasses, new development, operator
certification and subjective evaluation.
Effluent information is also provided, the age of the
facility and new development, and facility maintenance are
also considered.
"It looks like a pretty good score to me," said Wayne
Jarrett, council member.
Indeed, if just one of the areas were to be failed, the
score would be 125.
"The subjective evaluation made by Craig (Pew) and his
staff is that our system is in good to excellent condition,"
said McKnight.
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