Platte County Commissioners met with KC Water engineers to discuss the new wastewater treatment facility for the Todd Creek and Second Creek Watershed area Monday, Sept. 18.
The existing plant is 50 years old and the Todd Creek location is being considered for the new plant which is north of NW 144th St. and West of Todd Creek Road.
The present plant was expanded in 1990, but KC Water said has exceeded its useful life due to aging, Northland growth, the new airport and less efficient treatment technology.
KC Water’s goals for the project include higher quality water with nitrogen and phosphorus removal that supports quality of life, use of streams and creeks with improved reliability to support and protect human health and wildlife along with increased treatment capacity to support area development and jobs. The new facility would also serve Hoover Heights Subdivision.
The new site will include an emergency gravel road and locked gate with the main entrance off NW 144th St., with influent pumping/screening from the existing pipeline to the existing site, with grit and fine screening at the new site.
Lighting at the new site will use Dark Sky design technology with lighting as needed at night for security purposes, with year-round vegetative screening.
Local residents attending the meeting expressed concerns about several issues. One of the concerns among attendees was health risks for local residents due to the expected odors coming from the plant. KC Water representatives at the meeting said odor will be controlled by using hydrogen peroxide in small quantities for grit and screening and vapex, similar to residential odor control for solids storage. As an example, they said Jefferson City uses vapex and it works well. They recommended that residents visit other plants in the area to check on odor control.
Several residents said they had concerns about breathing and health problems caused by potential problems with odors being wafted through the area since the plant would be higher up and wind could blow the smells over a wide area, which would not only affect their property values, but most importantly, their health. The audience members said the present facility was only inspected once every five years for health concerns and leakages.
Developers assured those in attendance that the planned new facility would have a small footprint, be low energy with high quality water, and that the UV Disinfection would be chemical free deactivation of pathogens. It would be state-of-the-art and discharge into Todd Creek.
Noise concerns were also addressed. There will be noise-reducing enclosures and more silencing methods that comply with OSHA.
The first thing KC Water will do before the three-year project begins is plant trees around the new facility. But residents pointed out that trees lose their leaves and the site would be an eyesore for half the year. Plus, trees won’t help the potential public safety issues.
One resident also suggested the possible odor would affect a local strawberry farm, and that some sewers don’t smell bad but can still cause health problems.
Concerns were also expressed that the project was being led by budget issues over health concerns.
It was suggested that KC Water look for a location nearer to the airport and somewhere farther away from homes.
Presiding commissioner, Scott Fricker pointed out that the county government had no power to control utilities from Kansas City.
While the old plant needs to be upgraded and the new plant would handle twice the sewage of the old plant, the local residents at the meeting said other locations should be considered that would not pose any harm to homeowners in the area, and not lower their property value.