5-10-12 ww committeeMay 20, 2012
The first meeting of the Scandia Wastewater Advisory Committee was held on the above date. In attendance were: Daniel Cartier, James Malmquist, Wayne Schmidt, Holly Kaufhold, Mike Peterson,
Doug Salmela, Brad Bergo, Planning Commissioner Steven Philippi, Council members Chris Ness and Jim Schneider, Staff Anne Hurlburt, Tim Keiffer, Colleen Firkus, Engineers Brian Malm
and Clint Jordahl.
Chris Ness was elected as committee chair and Jim Schneider as vice-chair.
Administrator Hurlburt gave an overview of Scandia’s three Sewer Systems, Bliss, Anderson-Erickson and Uptown, that included their history, status and current issues. Various questions
by the committee members were then answered by staff and engineers. While the city has always lumped expenses and revenues from the Bliss and Anderson-Erickson systems together, they
are two separate systems on opposite sides of Big Marine Lake, with expenses paid by the residents on the systems.
Bliss
The Bliss system licensed by the MPCA. The City has contracted with Washington County to operate this system since inception. The City must eventually look for another service provider
until it can get staff qualified to handle operations. MPCA has been satisfied with the operation of this system and has said the city can abandon some monitoring wells.
Anderson-Erickson
Permits of this system was recently required by Washington County, which has also been the operator since it was built in 1986. This has created a conflict of interest and the city is
looking for another service provider. An engineering study found the system was not operated as designed. Contaminants were recently found in the monitoring wells and sampling is currently
being done on some residents wells that are down gradient of the septic system. Daily pump readings are now being done as part of a study of the system. It is possible that the current
drainfield is not compliant with separation from groundwater. A new drainfield would have to be a mound system.
Uptown System
Capacity was studied in 2010 when the building housing the Edward Jones office was connected. All are commercial users, except for the parsonage, with some expenses paid for by the
users and some by the City. A recent engineering study has recommended some upgrades to the system, which will be financed for by the City. Costs are expected to be recovered from the
users at a later date.
The Wastewater Committee was formed to review data, staff reports, discuss issues and make recommendations to the City Council. The next meeting will be July 19 at 7:00 p.m., which will
give staff time to compile data that includes peak flow times.
Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Colleen Firkus
Treasurer