City seeks public input on wastewater project

SANDPOINT — The city has started the process to evaluate its wastewater treatment plant and plan for its future.

The plan process includes evaluating new wastewater requirements along with community goals for wastewater quality, affordability and future planning to identify a community-appropriate solution for the aging infrastructure. The plan is scheduled to complete by winter 2018.

Facility plans are completed approximately every 10 to 20 years to identify existing and future opportunities and challenges, gain support and meet requirements from the Department of Environmental Quality, aid with city planning, and help secure funding opportunities. The final plan will include treatment plant flows and load projections, wastewater discharge requirements and standards, an existing plant analysis, development and screenings of potential improvements, and a capital improvements plan with interim and long-term plant actions. The last plan was completed in 2007, and since then the plant has reached its effective capacity and useful life.

The project team includes engineers, environmentalists, and a public involvement specialist. This team will work with both a technical committee and a community advisory committee, consisting of key stakeholders and leaders in the community. The committees’ feedback will help shape the direction of the CIP.

The public can provide input by completing a project survey at surveymonkey.com/r/SandpointWastewater before Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Two public open houses will also be held to gather public feedback and share project updates: one after development of the alternative solutions, and another after development of the draft CIP. Dates for the open houses are not yet set, but the public can contact the project team with questions and feedback throughout the process by emailing or calling Gemma Puddy, gpuddy@langdongroupinc.com or 208-292-8515.