Item 5 - Ratify MWMC Budget - Laserfiche WebLink

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'Sometimes into the Willamette Problem is, the region's a~ng groundwater could drop by 40 that can't be' treated by the .waste- River. .... wastewater system is being over- percent, water system, 'and reducing the · ;, The MWMC is holding two open loaded with groundwater, seepage ' The liner costs just $20 to $30 amount of pesticides carried into ~houses this we~k.to explain how.. the and stormwater --~, the latter partly per foot these.da~s, down from $100 waterways by stormwater. -problem is being addressed; a~d to due fo illegal hook-ups f~om' .roof per foot 20 years ago. Just two years ago, Tebbutt not- assure'folks that the improvements drains to sewer lines. Rehabilitating the lines is just ed, a state-commissioned study · comply with the federal Clean Wa- That's taxing the treatment one way engineers will try to ease found pesticides were showing up ter Act -- meant to end pollution of plant and causing problems that the burden on the wastewater sys- in the Willamette as deformities in the nation's waterways -- and will come with big price tags. tem. Others include improving fish. be funded without a rate hike. Heft was in south Eugene Thurs- three pump stations, building 3,000 Stormwater is "clearly a grow- 'W~re're rehabilitating our exist, day morning to describe one of the feet of additional wastewater collec- ing concern," said MWMC Manager ,.ing, aging inftmstructure (and) us- comparatively inexpensive tion lines and adding a secondary Susie Smith, and Eugene and ~ '.lng cost-effective technology to do solutions, treatment system at the plant. Springfield are addressing those is- ~.that," said engineer Rich Heft of the Crews at 28th Avenue and Ail of which is commendable, sues within standards set by the '~Eugene Public Works Department. Lincoln Street ran*a §20-foot. long said Charlle Tebbutt, an attorney state Department of Environmental ..'."And we're trying to e]!minate the liner, of thermal-setting, polyester with the Western Environmental Quality." · amount of extraneous flows that we resin through a length of failing Law Center in' Eugene t but Smith said th~t*stormwater con- 'have to treat at the treatment concrete pipe. Closed at one end where's the .regiOnal approach to trol falls outside the charge as* !~.plant~" and filled with water for weight, the stormu~er control? signed to the MWMC in 1977. But Engineers se6 water in three liner was pushed through the old "The (MWMC) can do things to both cities are'tackling the prob- shades: waStewater, stormwater and pipe with air pressure, inverting as reduce the pollutants in stormwater lem, instalHn.' g filters or guiding groundwater. Wastewater goes to it went t "Sort of like taking your runoff," Tebbutt said, "and it's im- stormwater to ponds, where sedi- the plant, sock and rolling it off," Heft said -- portant to have a progressive, com- ment settles' and microorganisms Stormwater ~ rainfall that col- forming a slick sleeve tha.t will prehensive program that will deal gobble up pollutants. lects whatever is on our streets and guide water rapidly through the with that as part of the 10-year "Stormwater is a regional issue parking lots- runs through anoth- section, plan." and the cities are both managing · er system and goes to rivers and It's good for a hail-century and Tebbutt cites two concerns: rotc- the stormwater systems and work other waterways. Groundwater is .Heft estimated flow into the system lng those who discharge chemical together where it makes sense," · exactly that: water in the ground, by unwanted storm- ' and pollutants to eliminate the ones Smith said.