Most people are familiar only with the first act in the recycling of wastewater: flushing a toilet.
The process of cleaning and disinfecting effluent is a long and expensive one, but it's getting more efficient with every trip to the loo.
The city of Ketchum agreed Monday, June 5, to another contract with Pharmer Engineering for construction and management of Phase 3 of the $7.4 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant.
Ketchum and Sun Valley voters approved in 2004 a bond measure to finance the project.
In the third phase, workers will install a new filtration system, creating a "Class A" effluent.
That category of effluent is clean enough to be applied as irrigation to parks, residential lands and other areas frequented by people and pets.
"Our goal is to reapply it on our grounds, then on the outside on both sides of the bike path," said city Utilities Manager Steve Hansen. "This would be a great kick-off project for water reuse. It will allow us to streamline the process when we do it in other areas."
Once the system is up and running, after approval from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the city can sell the treated water to entities such as golf courses.
"We're creating a commodity, upwards of 1 million gallons a day," said Mayor Randy Hall.
The city would have to set up a rate structure and build infrastructure before determining how much it could sell the water for. The 2007 irrigation season is the soonest is would be available, Hansen said.
Phase 1 involved installation of an ultraviolet system, along with major electrical upgrades.
Phase 2 included installation of another aeration basin.
The plant—which is located south of Ketchum near state Highway 75—is owned jointly by the cities of Ketchum and Sun Valley.
