Caution flag on sewer system capacity

New development could strain the limits of Sisters' sewer system.

The Sisters City Council, in its regular workshop Thursday, June 26, learned that the present wastewater collection system may not adequately meet the city's needs in the near future.

Eileen Stein, Sisters City Manager, wanted to be sure the council was aware of the potential challenge.

"It's not an issue right now but it could be due to the growth on the west side of town, primarily whatever is built on the present Forest Service Administrative site," she said.

The present wastewater system is comprised of three parts. The collection system brings wastewater through town to the treatment facility. The treatment facility processes the effluent in ponds on the southeast end of town. And finally the disposal system sprays the treated effluent on agricultural fields.

The "collection" part of the system is the potential problem, primarily due to the increased volume of wastewater produced by new developments.

Dick Nored, President of HGE, Inc., has been Sisters' consulting engineer for both the sewer and water systems for the past 30 years. Nored explained that, "Increased growth from the Forest Service property buyers, future phases of Hayden Homes, the hotel planned for Pine Meadows (Pine Meadow Village), and McKenzie Meadows' planned improvements could over-stress the system's capacity within 10 years."

The present wastewater system, planned and designed from 1997 to 1999, was supposed to handle wastewater flows through 2020, when the city's population was projected to be 1,525 residents.

The city already has 1,825 residents.

"If any one of these developments comes online in the near future, our existing lines can handle it. But if several come online at once we've got a problem," said Nored.

Given the present real estate slowdown it's not likely all of these new developments will come on line at the same time. But the city feels it needs to start planning for the eventual improvements now.

The big question in the council's workshop was who is going to pay for the necessary collection capacity improvements.

An updated and improved wastewater collection system is between $5 million and $6 million.

"So the question becomes do we increase SDCs (System Development Charges) for everyone - or do we only charge the developers of the new properties, the folks who are primarily causing the need for more capacity?" said Mayor Brad Boyd.

All in attendance at the workshop agreed this could be a politically explosive issue.

Given current economic conditions, the council may have a little breathing room before having to decide on the next steps. Should the economy turn around quickly however, with developers buying and planning, the council may be forced to make some unpopular funding decisions.