Item A: City of Coburg Request for Connection to Regional Wastewater Facilities

Home Browse Search

beyond the simple objective of “cost-effective and efficient provision of public facilities” when considering whether services should be extended to a satellite community. The Region 2050 study has not, at this point, extended the evaluation of future wastewater services beyond this simplified view. Beyond providing this regional planning information in response to requests for a broader framework and context for discussion, staff has not anticipated that further staff effort or resources would be expended on this for the purposes of evaluating Coburg’s request. Therefore, no associated work activities or costs are identified in Attachment A. Comparative Environmental, Public Health and Safety Impacts When MWMC discussed Coburg’s request several years ago, several issues were raised by Commissioners, which are reflected throughout this report. One of the factors several of the Commissioners expressed as important is whether regional treatment of Coburg’s wastewater would be more or less beneficial to protecting water quality and the environment. This is one of the factors the elected officials and the public may find important in considering whether wastewater service should be treated and discharged by MWMC facilities. This question has not been analyzed, and therefore conclusions cannot be drawn as to which wastewater treatment option would provide greater benefits to the environment and lower environmental and public health/safety risks in the long run. The following elements should be included in a comprehensive evaluation of this question. ? Impacts on land use and the environment from 1) building a wastewater treatment plant and new outfall vs. 2) building a conveyance and pumping system to connect to an existing treatment system and existing treated wastewater outfall; ? Impacts on water quality of 1) effluent discharged to the McKenzie River from a new outfall serving the Coburg system. [Note, the treatment system would have to be designed and operated to meet current wastewater discharge standards, including those requirements established under the Total Maximum Daily Loads and Waste Load Allocations] vs. 2) conveyance to and treatment and discharge of Coburg’s wastewater through MWMC’s existing system to the Willamette. [Note, the MWMC system faces significant challenges over the next 10 years to comply with new temperature limitations, and one of the main strategies for achieving summer water temperature requirements is to divert effluent flow out of the River by increasing treated water reuse projects. Option 2, connecting Coburg to the MWMC system, would increase the amount of wastewater flows that have to be treated or diverted through reclaimed water use. This has to be weighed against the alternative impacts of Coburg’s effluent discharged to the McKenzie.] ? Risk factors associated with conveyance of wastewater from Coburg to the MWMC system, which would include conveyance across the McKenzie River; ? Risk factors associated with the operation and maintenance of a new wastewater treatment facility, including chemical usage (such as for disinfection), electrical transmission facilities, potential for chemical air emissions and odors, and facility-related transportation activities; ? The need for a separate program to manage the disposal or beneficial reuse of biosolids generated by a dedicated wastewater treatment facility for Coburg. Page 5