News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Logging crews have clear-cut the 40 acre site of Sisters' sewage treatment plant, the brush has been grubbed away and big Caterpillar scrapers are scratching out a 24-acre wastewater storage pond.
Work crews have been working 12-hour shifts to get the 12-foot-deep pond dug before cold weather sets in. Once the pond is dug and the levies are built up, a one-foot-deep layer of sand will be laid in the pond and the whole works lined with heavy duty plastic.
According to Sisters' public works director Gary Frazee, the sheets of plastic must be welded together and the work must be done at or above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The race against winter has lent urgency to the nearly $13 million project that has been in the works on and off for almost 30 years.
Sisters residents approved a $7 million bond issue for the project in 1997 and the rest of the cost is being funded through a series of grants.
The Sisters City Council approved the sale of the bonds at its meeting on Thursday, August 24.
Once the pond is built, it will be able to store 213 acre-feet of treated wastewater, or 69,406,263 gallons, according to Frazee.
The city must store the wastewater during winter months; during spring and summer, the city will spray the treated effluent on adjacent forest.
City officials have projected an 18-24 month period before completion of the project, though some areas could be hooked up early next year.
The City of Sisters is finalizing Systems Development Charges.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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