Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 21, 1993 TAG: 9306210030
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Roanoke is allowed to dump 35 million gallons of treated sewage a day into the Roanoke River.
But it wants permission to discharge 44 million.
City officials say the plant is designed to treat that much, although its permit is for less.
If the city had a permit for 44 million gallons, officials say, it would help ease the pressure to expand.
"It would give us more time, but everyone recognizes that we still have to expand the plant," said Kit Kiser, director of utilities and operations for the city.
Valley residents can expect higher sewer rates when the plant is expanded and major sewer lines are replaced, at an estimated cost of $45 million.
The city's request to dump more sewage is being reviewed by the state departments of Health and Environmental Quality, said Steve Walker, plant manager.
Ron Conner, engineering field director for the Health Department, said last week the agency will reply to the city's request soon.
A new permit would not alter the volume of sewage flow, but it could reduce the number of violations and ease the pressure by state agencies on the city to take corrective action.
On some days in recent months, the sewage flow has exceeded 40 million gallons a day. The flow averaged 40.9 million gallons during March, when rainfall was above average.
Heavy rainfall causes the flows to be higher because many drains are illegally connected to sewer lines.
During recent months with normal rainfall, the flow has averaged about 32 million gallons a day.
City officials say the plant can treat the larger volume without violating the limit on pollutants in the effluent discharged into the river.
State and city officials agree the plant will have to be expanded. The only question is when - and whether interim measures will protect the river quality.
"It's inevitable, even with the slow growth in the Roanoke Valley, that you're going to have to expand the plant," said Charles Stitzer, an enforcement specialist with the state Department of Environmental Quality.
In the meantime, the city is operating under a consent order by the state agency (formerly the state Water Control Board), which requires the localities served by the plant to reduce infiltration into the sewer lines.
Millions of gallons of ground and storm water seep into the sewer pipes through cracks and holes. Reducing the infiltration reduces the flow and helps prevent the plant from becoming overloaded.
The regional plant is owned and operated by Roanoke, but also serves Salem, Vinton, Roanoke County and Botetourt County.
Roanoke City Council negotiated the consent order to avoid more drastic penalties. If council had not agreed to the order, the state could have fined the city or ordered it to expand the plant immediately.
State regulations require localities to prepare plans for expanding their treatment plants when they reach 95 percent of capacity. The flow at the Roanoke plant has exceeded 95 percent in some recent months.
"Anytime you are under a consent order, you have a serious situation," said Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. "This has to be resolved as quickly as possible."
The Roanoke Valley can't afford to allow itself to be faced with a ban on new sewer connections, as it did two decades ago, Fitzpatrick said.
In the early 1970s, the state threatened such a ban and pressured the localities to agree on a plan for upgrading and expanding the plant.
Stitzer, the enforcement specialist for the environmental agency, said it's too early to say whether a ban would be imposed on new sewer connections.
A ban on new hookups could halt commercial, industrial and residential growth.
As long as the flow can be kept below 95 percent of the plant's permit, the agency will allow Roanoke and the other localities to continue with their anti-infiltration projects, Stitzer said.
The localities must submit a report next month showing their success in reducing infiltration.
Kiser said the anti-infiltration approach is working in some areas. Council took bids last week for replacing part of the Peters Creek sewer line to reduce infiltration.
Roanoke has begun a $3 million program to repair and replace major lines, some 40 to 60 years old.
Salem, Vinton and Roanoke County also have anti-infiltration programs.
But there will come a point when it will no longer be financially feasible to rely just on repairing and replacing old sewer lines, Stitzer said.
Stitzer said it's not surprising the localities want to delay the plant expansion because it will be expensive - $45 million - and will require high technology.
Meanwhile, talks will resume soon on expansion of the treatment plant and replacement of several large sewer lines.
Negotiations have been stalled for months over sharing the costs. Details of the private talks have been withheld.
Kiser said another meeting will be held within two weeks.
Salem, Vinton, Roanoke County and Botetourt County have hired a consultant firm to help represent them in the talks. Roanoke hired its own consultant several years ago to make recommendations on the plant expansion and sharing the cost.
Kiser said he remains optimistic the localities will reach an agreement despite the on-and-off nature of the talks over several years.
by CNB