Council approves $300,000 for repairs to wastewater facility

The Forrest City City Council met in special session Tuesday to approve spending about $300,000 to repair electrical issues at the Forrest City Water Department's Wastewater Treatment Plant. Council members Louise Fields and Marvin Metcalf were absent. FCWD Director Edward Gregory told the council the electrical issues have caused the blowers at the wastewater treatment plant to stop working causing a halt to all wastewater treatment in Forrest City. "In the last week, we had some destruction in the electrical component that runs the blowers at the wastewater treatment plant," said Gregory. "Those provide air to the wastewater treatment plant. To shorten it all up, without that process, the plant doesn't run. If it doesn't run, we are not treating all of the city's wastewater. It would go untreated." Gregory told council members that currently, there is enough pond area to pump the wastewater into as the agency waits for repairs to be completed. "We are fortunate enough that we have two 70-acre ponds that we can divert it to and let it sit there until we are back operational and can treat it," said Gregory. "Reservoir wise, we should be okay. You can only pump so much out there so we should be okay." Gregory explained that currently, the plant is operating on “rented power,” which will cost the city approximately $44,000 per month until the repair is made. "We are looking at an estimated five or six weeks for repairs from when they start," said Gregory. "Currently, we just have the plant on rental backup power. We have that end, and that is going to run us, with fuel, somewhere around $44,000 per month. Every day that we wait to fix this is money given away. We really have no choice in this." According to Gregory, the group has worked with a local contractor regarding the repairs and he is confident they can be completed "We have a permit that allows us to discharge water," said Gregory. "We have to treat it. We have to do it. We have to fix this. This has come down to how much money do you want to save. We have worked with a local contractor who has done work with us and for the city. He has found components for us and is willing to do the work. He is confident." Gregory further explained in an interview after the meeting that the only way to know what caused the initial damage would be to ask an electrical engineer to conduct an inspection of the damage. "We don't know what caused the damage," said Gregory. "There was a short out somewhere. It could have been an animal or it could have been the wind. We just don't know. We had an electrical fire that burned out all of the controls. The only way we could know what caused the damage would be to seek an electrical engineer and have them come in and try to determine what happened. At this point, I don't know if it would be better to do that or not. It's probably better to just go ahead and fix it." Gregory said the section that does not have power currently is considered the head of the plant as it houses the aeration and grit removal components of the treatment plant. "The plant is divided into three components," said Gregory. "This is the head of the plant. This is where the aeration is, grit removal and other components. That section is what doesn't have power at the moment. They are all important components. We have to have all of them operating to be in working order."

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