Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Palmer Engineering has been tapped by Winchester Municipal Utilities officials to begin studying the Lower Howards Creek Watershed to determine what projects might be feasible to complete in the area in the future. The WMU Board of Commissioners approved the $203,000 at Thursday’s regular meeting in an attempt to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s consent decree. “That’s a step in the right direction in regards to the project,” said Mike Flynn, WMU general manager, in a separate interview.

It's been 15 years in the making and has cost $25 million, so local officials are ready to celebrate. Winchester Municipal Utilities, in conjunction with city and county officials and the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority are planning a formal ribbon cutting ceremony Friday for the new Strodes Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Believed to be the largest public improvement project in Clark County's history, the new plant replaces WMU's former plant, which was constructed in 1972 after Congress passed the Clean Water Act. Located on Van Meter Road, Strodes Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is designed to handle an average of 7.2 million gallons of wastewater per day- almost double the 4-million-gallon daily average of WMU's old treatment facility.

Dirt is being moved at the site for Winchester Municipal Utilities’ new $28 million wastewater treatment plant, marking a major advance in efforts to satisfy environmental mandates. Last month, crews for Smith Contractors of Lawrenceburg began blasting and preparing the property at 7055 Boonesboro Road, with completion expected in January 2013. Once the project is finished, wastewater from the southern half of WMU’s service area will drain by gravity into a new pump station on Water Works Road.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has filed a lawsuit against Winchester Municipal Utilities for violating the Clean Water Act of 1972 due to sanitary sewer overflows at 26 recurring locations. "We acknowledge we're violating the Clean Water Act, and this complaint formalizes the process for us to address those violations. It is a step beyond the agreed order which we are now under," WMU General Manager Vernon Azevedo said in an interview Tuesday. "This is a serious problem, and it is a serious health problem," he said.

The Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission has approved a proposed consent decree, or a settlement, with the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its lawsuit over sanitary sewer overflows.The agreement came at a special called meeting Thursday night. The lawsuit focuses on the Clean Water Act of 1972, which prohibits discharges into any U.S. streams or rivers. The EPA has accused WMU of operating a sanitary sewer system that overflowed wastewater into creeks and basins at 27 locations.

After 15 years in the works, Winchester Municipal Utilities' new $26 million wastewater treatment plant is ready to begin processing waste, WMU General Manager Vernon Azevedo announced Thursday. Azevedo told the WMU Commission that the plant is now substantially complete and ready to begin processes Monday morning. Total project completion is not expected until sometime this spring, when officials are planning a formal grand opening and ribbon cutting. "We have been under an agreed order for this wastewater treatment plant since 1993," he said.

Distillers' leader will speak to Rotary Club The Winchester Rotary Club will meet Friday at noon at the Winchester Country Club. Eric Gregory, executive director of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, will be the guest speaker. For more information, visit www.winchesterrotary.org Correction An article in Wednesday's Sun about the school board approving Qore Property Sciences to do geotechnical work on the new George Rogers Clark High School site incorrectly stated that the vote to approve Qore was 4-0 with Wendy Berryman absent.

A presentation of alternatives to address sanitary sewer overflows in the Lower Howard's Creek basin generated discussion among Winchester Municipal Utilities commissioners at their regular meeting Thursday night. Cole Mitchum, distribution and collection group manager of CDP Engineers Inc. of Lexington presented the report. The report analyzed four alternatives to eliminate the overflows in the sewer system. The analysis stems from WMU's consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Winchester Municipal Utilities received support from city officials Tuesday as it seeks to resolve sanitary sewer overflows and avert harsh fines by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. After a brief public hearing that drew no comments, the Winchester Board of Commissioners voted in favor of a $33.7 million blueprint to bring WMU's aging infrastructure under federal compliance by 2025 and stave off at least $50 million in civil penalties. WMU required backing from the city before the measure can advance to the EPA, the U.S. Department of Justice and the state Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet for additional rounds of approval.

Although the Environmental Protection Agency has approved a list of 27 sanitary sewer overplan correction plans, there are still potential overflow areas in Clark County, according to engineers from Lexington's Tetra Tech. Richard Walker spoke Thursday before the Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission at the board's regular meeting, presenting information on EPA fines, the likelihood of sewer overflow in Clark County and costs associated with fixing the overflows. “We wanted to update the commission on the potential for fines.

Palmer Engineering has been tapped by Winchester Municipal Utilities officials to begin studying the Lower Howards Creek Watershed to determine what projects might be feasible to complete in the area in the future. The WMU Board of Commissioners approved the $203,000 at Thursday’s regular meeting in an attempt to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s consent decree. “That’s a step in the right direction in regards to the project,” said Mike Flynn, WMU general manager, in a separate interview.

Dirt is being moved at the site for Winchester Municipal Utilities’ new $28 million wastewater treatment plant, marking a major advance in efforts to satisfy environmental mandates. Last month, crews for Smith Contractors of Lawrenceburg began blasting and preparing the property at 7055 Boonesboro Road, with completion expected in January 2013. Once the project is finished, wastewater from the southern half of WMU’s service area will drain by gravity into a new pump station on Water Works Road.

Distillers' leader will speak to Rotary Club The Winchester Rotary Club will meet Friday at noon at the Winchester Country Club. Eric Gregory, executive director of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, will be the guest speaker. For more information, visit www.winchesterrotary.org Correction An article in Wednesday's Sun about the school board approving Qore Property Sciences to do geotechnical work on the new George Rogers Clark High School site incorrectly stated that the vote to approve Qore was 4-0 with Wendy Berryman absent.

Federal officials can impose rate hikes at Winchester Municipal Utilities if rates are insufficient to fund projects in WMU's $55 million consent decree with environmental regulators, according to a presentation Tuesday. City Attorney Bill Dykeman told the Winchester Board of Commissioners that WMU must prove revenue can support the projects. Otherwise, the federal government is authorized to intervene. The presentation was the first of several planned over the next two months as city officials prepare to vote on large-scale rate increases for WMU's three main services, water, sewer and solid waste.

The Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission gave a final go-ahead Thursday for officials to purchase a 38-acre tract in the Lower Howards Creek watershed, where new water and sewer treatment plants are planned. In a unanimous vote, commissioners authorized WMU counsel to close on the property at 7055 Boonesboro Road by March 30. WMU is under contractual agreement to buy the site for $400,000 from landowner Maxine Shearer. "We've complied with every regulatory and legal concept that I know of in picking this site," said WMU counsel John Rompf.

It's been 15 years in the making and has cost $25 million, so local officials are ready to celebrate. Winchester Municipal Utilities, in conjunction with city and county officials and the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority are planning a formal ribbon cutting ceremony Friday for the new Strodes Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Believed to be the largest public improvement project in Clark County's history, the new plant replaces WMU's former plant, which was constructed in 1972 after Congress passed the Clean Water Act. Located on Van Meter Road, Strodes Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is designed to handle an average of 7.2 million gallons of wastewater per day- almost double the 4-million-gallon daily average of WMU's old treatment facility.

After 15 years in the works, Winchester Municipal Utilities' new $26 million wastewater treatment plant is ready to begin processing waste, WMU General Manager Vernon Azevedo announced Thursday. Azevedo told the WMU Commission that the plant is now substantially complete and ready to begin processes Monday morning. Total project completion is not expected until sometime this spring, when officials are planning a formal grand opening and ribbon cutting. "We have been under an agreed order for this wastewater treatment plant since 1993," he said.

A new engineering study recommends that Winchester Municipal Utilities construct a $20.8 million pump station in the Lower Howard Creek basin to resolve sanitary sewer overflows. CDP Engineers of Lexington presented the 18-page study to the Winchester Board of Commissioners on Tuesday as officials continue to consider options on Lower Howard Creek - the largest project in WMU's $35 million consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Engineers recommend that WMU build a 10.25 million gallon per day pump station and two 18-inch mains to pump sewage from the basin to the Strodes Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.

A presentation of alternatives to address sanitary sewer overflows in the Lower Howard's Creek basin generated discussion among Winchester Municipal Utilities commissioners at their regular meeting Thursday night. Cole Mitchum, distribution and collection group manager of CDP Engineers Inc. of Lexington presented the report. The report analyzed four alternatives to eliminate the overflows in the sewer system. The analysis stems from WMU's consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency.