Madras updates wastewater treatment plan

Over a 20-year period, Madras’ wastewater system will see improvements and expansion. This is the city’s first update in about 20 years. It was last updated in 1996, but some changes need to happen.

The city is required by law to update the wastewater master plan at least every 20 years. It helps the city identify future costs and how to afford them.

The city will work on renovation and repairs to sewers, pump stations, and the North Wastewater Treatment Plant. It was built in the 1970, and eventually the lagoon liners and chlorination equipment will be replaced.

Also the city is running out of irrigation land to dump the treated water. So Madras will have to buy land further west in the next 10 to 15 years to make more room as the town expands.

The city’s population is projected to grow around 1 percent to 1.5 percent every five years or so. This gives the city more time before it needs to find the necessary funds to expand.

“First, the highest priority for the city is setting it up so they can operate all the equipment year-round,” Ken Condit, city engineer, said at a meeting Wednesday evening. “Right now, they shut down mechanical equipment in the winter, so that makes it more difficult for them in terms of storing and then using the water for irrigation.”

Sewer rates for customers are not expected to increase much or at all over the next 20 years.

The renovation of the north plant is a long-term plan, but some of that maintenance would be funded by user rates. Many of the sewer expansions are funded by system development charges, and the city will have to figure out what they’ll charge developers.

“A few years ago, we had some shocks when the systems were upgraded to a considerable expense,” said Madras resident, George Hawes. “I was curious to see what was in store for rate payers, but it didn’t sound too bad at least in the first one to five years.”

Condit said a large-scale inspection and cleaning program won’t have to happen until near the end of those 20 years. The city is also prepared to re-evaluate the plan if the population growth rate increases, meaning more maintenance and expansion would have to happen sooner.

For more information: https://www.ci.madras.or.us/publicworks/page/wastewater-master-plan-update-0