The proposed Cove Springs development became the first private project in Idaho to receive approval for a wastewater treatment system that reclaims water for unrestricted irrigation.
"Approval of the compact, state-of-the-art system makes it feasible for private developers not only to provide on-site sewer services rather than septic tanks, but also to reclaim water for irrigating parks and lawns," said Steve Beevers, Cove Springs president.
The Cove Springs Development group received approval July 1 from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for its proposed wastewater system.
The project at issue concerns plans for a centralized wastewater treatment system for a mixed-use development proposed on the 4,600-acre Cove Ranch parcel, situated four miles south of Bellevue along Gannett Road.
Cove Springs Development submitted a master plan proposal for the subdivision in December to Blaine County. Determination as to whether the application is subject to a county moratorium on new subdivisions should be made in the near future, said Jan Edelstein, Cove Springs vice president.
"We are eager for public hearings. By incorporating the smart-growth principles we believe Cove Springs provides a model for growth," Edelstein said.
The master plan calls for the creation of two ranch parcels, a 336-home planned-unit development and the preservation of 4,000 acres for agriculture and wildlife habitat.
Cove Springs and Boise-based engineers Forsgren Associates worked nearly a year before submitting a formal plan in June for the wastewater treatment system to support the development.
"We reviewed many options, and selected a membrane bio-reactor treatment system because of its reliability, small footprint and ease of operation," Beevers said. "And most importantly, it produces clean water that can be used for irrigation anywhere on the project."
The membrane bio-reactor wastewater system has been used in Japan in high-rise apartment buildings for the past 15 years.
"DEQ's approval of this innovative treatment plant shows progress toward more sustainable land-use choices now and in the future," said Christopher Simms, executive director of Hailey-based Citizens for Smart Growth. "We are so pleased that Cove Springs Development took the risk of exploring this costly waste treatment system that allows for compact rather than sprawling development on the site."
The Cove Springs system will be totally enclosed in a 40-foot by 60-foot building.
According to the developer, the technology and the use of reclaimed water is gaining popularity throughout the United States, where it is currently in place in more than 50 cities, including Grand Targhee, Wyo., and Tooele, Utah.
Elsewhere in Blaine County, the city of Bellevue is entertaining the membrane bio-reactor concept as an option to replace its wastewater system. The Bellevue Wastewater Facilities Planning Study presented to the City Council in June recommends the membrane bio-reactor treatment system as one of the city's most viable options.
Beevers spoke in May to the viability of the system for his development at DEQ's first Idaho Wastewater Reuse Conference in Boise.
Cove Springs Development President Steve Beevers discusses a proposed planned-unit development south of Bellevue that includes a wastewater treatment system approved by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Photo by David N. Seelig
