City tries to beat clock on sewer expansion

Five years after the completion of the City of Sisters’ sewer system, the city is planning the expansion of its sewer infrastructure to accommodate rapid growth.

Last month the city council amended a contract that began the engineering of the city’s water and sewer infrastructure. City Engineer Richard Nored from HGE Inc., will be paid $49,500 to write an update to the Sewer and Water Master Plan.

Several issues are outlined for Nored to explore in the engineering process. At the top of the list of tasks is gathering current information. Calculations of the amount of water flowing to existing facilities will be developed from current usage and projected for planned development. Population growth and anticipated expansion of the urban growth boundary will be taken into account.

The city’s sewer water is treated to Level One, which is the lowest on a Department of Environmental Quality scale of four levels. To dispose of the effluent, the city sprays it on the forest floor.

City Manager Eileen Stein estimated that within five years, Sisters will have exceeded the current plant’s capacity to process and dispose of effluent through spraying the forest floor and will have to have an expansion plan implemented.

“The game is to beat the clock,” Stein said.

Nored will examine the level to which Sisters’ sewer water should be treated and different methods of reusing effluent in a way that does not risk pollution. A review of land use issues regarding effluent disposal alternatives will be done.

A biosolids management plan will evaluate disposal and potential sites for disposal.

Lastly, the city expects a financial analysis of what the proposed expansion will cost. The analysis is required by the Department of Environmental Quality for wastewater planning. Use charges, capital reserve, depreciation, and loan payment will be included with the financial analysis.