Wastewater Treatment Facility
Grant Helps CITY OF MARIANNA UPGRADE wastewater TREATMENT PLANT facilty
-Facility will increase protection of Chipola River and Blue Springs-
MARIANNA, FL, December 4, 2008 - The City of Marianna's Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility is up and running, and that's good news for the town and the environment. The Wastewater Treatment System is vitally important, not only to the residents of this community, but to the environmentally sensitive Chipola.River and Apalachicola River, Basin as well.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and USDA Rural Development joined the City of Marianna officials for an open house dedication of the city’s upgraded wastewater treatment plant facility.
The City of Marianna's former wastewater treatment plant was placed in operation prior to 1960 and permitted for 2.7 million gallons daily (MGDd). However, during peak operating times, the deteriorating facility experienced flow exceeding design and hydraulic capacities. Due to this and over many years of use, components of the system failed to meet treated effluent limits set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Additionally, the treated wastewater effluent was discharged into the spring-fed Chipola. River, a designated and Outstanding Florida Waters Body that drains one-half of the Apalachicola River Basin.
In November of 2005, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded a contribution of a grant and loan in the amount $24 million to the City of Marianna to expand the capacity of their Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility and construct reclaimed water land application facilities. The grant, from DEP's Disadvantaged Small Community Grant Program, funded the construction of an influent pump station, additional biological treatment units, disinfection and residuals handling systems, an effluent pump station, a reclaimed water transmission main and spray field facilities twelve miles away from the wastewater treatment facility. “The project eliminates the City’s effluent discharge to one of the State’s premiere water bodies, the Chipola River and the new spray field location avoided impacting the Jackson Blue Springs catchment area,” said DEP Northwest District Director Dick Fancher.
In addition to the DEP grant, the City was also awarded from Rural Development $2 million grant and a $4 million loan and funding was also provided through the State of Florida Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in the amount of $700,000. "Investing in basic public infrastructure is vital for a strong and vibrant community," said Rural Development State Director Ronald G. Whitfield at today's wastewater treatment plan open house dedication. "The City of Marianna's upgraded wastewater treatment system is a win-win situation, bringing about increased. economic opportunities to the community while helping to protect Florida's critical natural resources."
The new system is increasing flow capacity to 4.0 MGD and includes a new treatment process. Rather than discharging effluent into the river, the treated waste is applied to a 532-acre hay farm located 12 miles south of the facility improvements include a new plant pump station., influent screening facility, degritter system, waste activated sludge pumps, treated effluent holding pond, effluent pump station., backup power generator, treated effluent force main and spray- field, activated sludge pumps, disinfection. systems, and waste biosolids digestion systems. The City has 15 ground water monitoring wells and six surface water sites that are monitored to ensure compliance with regulatory agencies.
The Department is working with local governments in disadvantaged communities to provide them with additional financial resources to upgrade wastewater facilities and protect the state’s surface and groundwater resources.
“The City is very grateful for all the State and Federal Government contributions towards this upgrade which allows the City to make our Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility more environmental friendly” according to Mr. Jim Dean, City Manager for Marianna.
Established in 2000, the Disadvantaged Small Community Grant Program provides funds to plan, design, and build wastewater management facilities. Funds can be used for installation or renovation of sewer systems, wastewater treatment plants, water reuse facilities, and effluent disposal systems. Funding for the grants comes from fees assessed on DEP State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans and additional state appropriations. To qualify for grant funding, an applicant must be an incorporated municipality with a maximum population of 7,500 and a per capita income below the state average. DEP ranks applications based on the public health and environmental benefits of the proposed project. Grant recipients provide a partial match to the state funding.
Since the program began, the state has committed more than $175 million, including more than $30 million last year, for wastewater upgrades in smaller communities throughout the state. Since 1999, Florida has invested more than $3.5 billion to upgrade and improve water and wastewater facilities and clean up storm water pollution, funding about 2,100 projects statewide.
For more information on the Disadvantaged Small Community Grant program, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wff/cwsrf/smalcwgp.htm.
For information about USDA Rural Development please visit the website at http://www.rurdevlusda.gov/fl.
