Finance Committee - 12/04/2019 Page 6
Do you want me to explain the second one too? The second one is to award the construction company,
Waterline Industries; they were the low bidder. We received two bids, we checked references, references
were good and Wright-Pierce, the engineering firm also worked with this company in the past and said they do
a good job and highly recommend them.
Mayor Donchess
Can you explain what the Wet Weather Facility is and does?
Mr. Boucher
Yes the Wet Weather Facility is an independent treatment facility, kind of like a total package plant within the
Wastewater Facility. So the main Wastewater Facility can handle flows up to 50 million gallons a day; anything
over that up to 60 million gallons — well the Wet Weather Facility can handle 60 million extra gallons for a total
of one hundred ten million gallons of treated wastewater.
Mayor Donchess
The purpose of the Wet Weather is to capture storm water that is coming through.
Mr. Boucher
Correct, because our flows increase quickly when it rains heavy.
Alderman Laws
Just out of curiosity, how often are you running at capacity with something like that?
Mr. Boucher
It’s hard to tell because of the rain but you know at least 12 times a year but we have the capability if we need
to do work at our Wastewater Facility, and have to close the main gate, we can force flows through this
independent facility.
Mayor Donchess
Now this is related to the issues of the CSO, Combined Sewer Overflows, because this Wet Weather Facility
has not been functioning at peak capacity since it was completed, when, when was that?
Mr. Boucher
2009.
Mayor Donchess
2009 and when it is not functioning at full capacity it means at select times and select locations there is more
overflow out of the Combined Sewer System than really there should be. Making these changes and making
the Wet Weather Facility function as maximum capacity, if we can get it there, will mean less combined sewer
overflow incidents throughout the system and the EPA and DES are very interested in this issue.
Mr. Boucher
Correct.
