HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The County Commission made quick work approving a plan to renovate the lagoon system, pump station and irrigation system for the Blue Spruce Addition north of Hutchinson which will cost around $576,000.
They then spent over an hour and 15 minutes talking about the issues regarding the Highlands sewer district and whether to continue with a sewer treatment facility or build a lagoon system similar to the one in the Blue Spruce addition.
Public Works Director Dave McComb is pushing for the lagoon system which would cost the county just over a million dollars. However, some residents were present and wanted to continue with the treatment facility. Some had concerns over where a lagoon would be placed, worrying about it being close to their homes and wondered what’s the hurry. McComb explained that it’s been under study for some years now. Others were concerned for the potential smell.
The problem for the county is locating land that could be used and there is some plan to look into whether the sewer district could own land north of the Highlands, which would be in Rice County.
McComb says the old equipment with the sewage treatment facility is 37 years old and the company that made that equipment probably doesn’t have parts for that system, meaning the county would have to replace the whole system.
No decision was made on this issue Tuesday, but is expected to come before the commission again as early as next week.