Resident urges JPB and mayor to reconsider sewer outfall project

Editor,

What if you could solve the Saratoga sewer treatment plant problems and save the local taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Would you be interested? The unelected and unaccountable Joint Powers Board has decided to build a 12” pipeline that continuously dumps ammonia laden discharge water directly into the N. Platte River. Cost to you – 1 million dollars to be paid by you in your sewer and water bill every month for the next 20 years. They claimed there was no other solution, which is absolutely false. All across the country other towns have built wetlands adjacent to their treatment plants that successfully filter polluted water. The town of Jackson, Wyoming built a wetland adjacent to their treatment plant to filter water before it enters the Snake River. You can even get money from outside your community from projects that have had to fill in wetlands and are obligated to create new wetlands. It just so happens that Saratoga’s treatment plant sits next to State of Wyoming public land that could be used to do exactly what’s needed. If this pipeline is built, the water quality and the fishery will be damaged permanently.

Jackson’s wetland was designed by a Wyoming engineer who lives in Cody, Wyoming and is known to local engineers in the PMPC office. I appeal to our new Mayor Ed Glode, whom I met with and told me he was less than enthused about this project. There is absolutely no current emergency that this pipeline be built this spring, since the problem has been going on since 2007. I urge the citizens of this community to ask the Joint Powers Board and Mayor Glode to consider this much less expensive solution. It seems to me that the Joint Powers Board has no regard whatsoever of piling on more debt on the backs of the citizens of Saratoga. I believe we have the highest sewer and water fees in Wyoming and they will continue to grow every year without end.

During low water conditions, during summer and fall when the river has very high water temperatures and the sewer flows are at very high levels, this continuous release of sewer effluent into the river will damage this Blue Ribbon fishery. When the water quality in the river doesn’t meet testing requirements, you’ll be asked to pay for something more all over again. Our Mayor Ed Glode has the authority to investigate this solution.

Jeff and Tina Bullock

Saratoga