Engineers propose wetland treatment for Odessa

ODESSA—Hunt Engineers suggested the village of Odessa implement both a constructed wetland for wastewater treatment and an effluent collection system as a sewer district, Monday, Dec. 17.
Hunt presented the results of an engineering report on options the village had for a possible sewer collection and treatment. Brian Williams, economic community development specialist for Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development, said the report covered several options to establish a sewer district, and the preferred option was the wetland and effluent system. He added the report also examined a system for either just downtown Main Street or the entire village.
He explained the engineers started working on the report in 2011. It was finished this past summer, but Williams said they waited to get feedback from the state before presenting to the village. He added a similar study was done for Burdett, with the same recommendations.
There are three options for a wastewater treatment system. In addition to the constructed wetlands, Williams said the other two are a lagoon wastewater treatment and a membrane bioreactor system (MBR). He explained the wetland design is preferred because it is cheaper, best for a small community, and easy to expand.
Williams explained Hunt is also proposing an effluent collection system connecting to the houses and buildings. He said this includes piping with pumpers and grinders. He added all residents in the system would have to replace their septic systems. Every three to five years, the sewer district would then pump out the septic systems.
Now that Hunt and SCOPED have presented the sewer options, Williams said the next step is to see if there is funding available to cover such a project and keep the cost low should the village decide to establish a system.