City hit with ‘technical violations’ for wastewater treatment plant operations

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012 — The City of Bardstown was recently served with three Notice of Violations from the Kentucky Division of Water related to the operation of the Jerry Riley Wastewater Treatment plant on Sutherland Road.

JESSICA FILIATREAU

Civil engineer Jessica Filiatreau explained the violations were technical violations that occurred during three consecutive months — November and December 2011 and January 2012. The violations were related to the operating parameters of the treatment plant in relation to its permit.

The violation connects directly back to another long-running Bardstown sewer problem — the infiltration of stormwater and inflow of groundwater into the sewer system. For years, the extra water overwhelmed the system and led to frequent sewer overflows from manholes along low-lying areas, particularly along Town Creek. The overflows led several years ago to an agreed order with fines and penalties assessed by state regulators.

As part of that agreement, the city continues to fund inspection, rehabilitation and upgrades of the city sewer system in an effort to stop the infiltration and inflow of unwanted water; the work takes time.

Filiatreau explained how the addition of stormwater and groundwater from last fall’s rains diluted the sewer plant’s incoming flow so much the plant missed its permit efficiency — the plant is supposed to remove 85 percent of total suspended solids. The treatment plant can meet those requirements; however adding in millions of gallons of unwanted stormwater and groundwater, the resulting diluted flow of sewage “becomes mathematically impossible to achieve 85 percent of removal of solids,” she said.

LARRY HAMILTON

The proposed resolution of violations included entering into an agreed order with an action plan for corrective measures and a possible fine of $7,000. The city has until Sept. 17 to respond to the notice of violation.

Mayor Bill Sheckles said the city would try to negotiate a lesser fine, adding that the violation was caused by the rains and wasn’t something in the control of the City of Bardstown.

Hamilton explained there was no release of excessive pollutants from the sewage treatment plant. The plant operated properly and met all the standards, but due to the inflow of cleaner water, the plant couldn’t meet its permit requirements.

In other business, the council:

– approved the 2012 street resurfacing bid and a list of city streets that will receive top priority for surfacing and repairs;

– voted second and final approval of corrections to ordinances to annex Nelson County High School and Thomas Nelson High School. The legal descriptions of both properties contained typographical errors.

– approved a change order of $611.16 to deal with a sewer service line that had to be re-routed for the South Salem sewer main project.

– approved closing the necessary streets for the annual Arts, Crafts and Antique Fair on Oct. 13-14;

– approved the use of city streets for a 5k walk/run by MADD on Oct. 20.; and,

– approved the minutes of the council’s Aug. 14, 2012 meeting.

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