Charles City begins new wastewater treatment strategy planning

Staff report

Charles City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is taking the first steps in creating a nutrient feasibility study per request by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the city council heard Thursday night. Along with an updated 2014 permit, the DNR requires the city to develop a nitrogen or phosphorus reduction strategy by the end of this year.

The meeting, which was postponed by Iowa Caucus and then Tuesday’s blizzard, approved action on the feasibility study, which will cost the city $15,000, and a wastewater treatment plant facility plan, which will cost about $42,000 to address aging facility concerns such as capacity, structural condition and potential improvements.

A current UV light disinfection project at the facility doesn’t address nutrient concerns for the DNR, City Administrator Steve Diers told the council, as it specializes in treating E-coli bacteria with LED light.