Stimulus Funds Are For Wastewater Treatment Plant
by Bea Peterson
Assemblyman Tony Jordan (R,C-Jackson) announced this week that Hoosick Falls will receive $100,300 for the installation of a mixer in the sludge holding tank and solar panels to provide clean renewable energy for the mixer. Jordan’s release said this grant to improve water quality is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is part of the NYS Stimulus fund.
State Of The Art Plant… But
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Dan Merrills said there has been a problem with the sludge holding tank. An air system blows up from the bottom of the tank to aerate the sludge to prevent odor. Three winters ago the tank became covered with ice six to ten inches thick at times. The ice had to be removed with an excavator. “When it’s frozen it can damage the equipment, the pumps and blowers,” said Merrills. Two years ago the winter was mild enough that the tank did not freeze. Last winter, however, the same freezing problem occurred.
Robert Flores of CT Male, who worked on the new wastewater treatment plant from the start, wrote the grant requesting funding for a more powerful mixer that will be powered by solar panels.
When Merrills talked with the Environmental Facilities Corporation about the project grant last week he was told it was a “highly recommended project.” In a letter to Hoosick Falls Mayor Matt Monahan EFC stated that almost 300 applications, representing approximately $470 million in grant requests, were submitted for the $40 million in available funds. Luckily, Hoosick Falls received some of that $40 million.
Like Merrills, Mayor Monahan is excited the Village received this grant. “We recently installed a SCADA computer system at the plant and that has been a big help,” said the Mayor. “I’m happy the funds were found to solve this problem.”
Depending on the season, two to three loads of sludge a week is removed from the tank and taken to Albany. There it is added to the much larger Albany facility and, after further processing, incinerated.
Assemblyman Jordon’s release concluded, “Improving energy efficiency and water quality will help cut costs and save taxpayer money, in addition to being an essential step toward reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Targeted long-term investments, such as this, will have a substantial impact on improving the quality of life within the Village of Hoosick Falls and the region.”
Thanks For Support
On September 21 Merrills was called to Church St. to investigate a plugged sewer line. “We tried to jet it out, but the hose got stuck,” he said. What they found with the camera used to search the lines was one collapsed pipe in front of an eight inch pipe packed with grease. “There’s not a lot of flow through those particular sewer lines, so the grease just sits there,” he said.
At 8 am on September 22 they began work on the repairs. Casel Construction, already working in the Village, brought up a road cutter to cut through more than a foot of blacktop. Bill Shiland brought the Town of Hoosick’s new wheel excavator to move the black top away and dig the hole. “We were shorthanded,” said Merrills. “We were glad to have Jerry McAuliffe and Louie Schmigel help us out. The crushed pipe was replaced and a manhole added. Work ended about 8 pm. “I just wanted to thank everybody who helped us out,” said Merrills. “They saved us a lot of time and made the job easier, and we appreciate it.”