Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility
Overview | Community Involvement | FAQ | Contact Us | Links
Frequently Asked Questions (Added 08-28-06)
A: The floodway is set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA. The floodway is a portion of the available flow cross section that when obstructed cannot cause any increase in the water-surface elevations resulting from a flood with a 100-year average return. As development of homes and buildings takes place along the stream’s floodplain, the 100-year flow is confined to a narrower stream cross section. As the development continues to encroach upon the floodplain, without mitigation, the water surface elevation will rise. FEMA sets the boundaries of the floodway to ensure the effects of development will not increase the water surface elevation more than 1 foot. Therefore, FEMA has determined if you build outside of the floodway but inside the floodplain you are not permitted to increase the 100-year water surface elevation by more than 1 foot. If you build inside the floodway you are not permitted to increase the 100-year water surface elevation any amount. State and local governments can enforce a more stringent policy. The City of Lawrence has chosen to do so and dictates a no rise policy within the entire 100-year floodplain. Refer to the Floodway Schematic.
A: A floodplain is any normally dry land area that is susceptible to being inundated by water from any natural source. This area is usually low land adjacent to a river, creek, or lake. The extent of floodplain inundation depends partially on the flood magnitude, defined by the return period or frequency of flooding. In the case of the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility, the return period of concern is the 100-year flood event as dictated by the City’s stormwater regulations. Refer to the Floodway Schematic.
Q. Will the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility reduce the flooding of my property?
A: No.
Q. Will the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility make flooding of my property worse?
A: No. The City’s floodplain requirements are more stringent than FEMA’s. Since the Facility will be within the City limits, City requirements must be met, meaning any development in the floodplain cannot raise the elevation of the base flood. Possible examples of mitigation include land purchased off-site and not developed, improved flow characteristics, excavation of adjacent area, replacement of lost area in floodplain, and channel improvements to the river. The specific mitigation plan has not yet been determined as design is not far enough along to know the exact point of discharge or definite site impacts.
Q: The Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility will generate sludge or biosolids as a byproduct of the treatment process. How will that material be disposed of?
A:The disposal/reuse options include conveying to the City’s existing wastewater treatment plant for processing or treating at the Wakarusa site. A final determination has not been made yet.
The City currently generates a Class A biosolids product, which is used for public distribution for use in residential landscaping and gardens, and Class B biosolids products, which is used as a fertilizer substitute for agricultural crops. The current biosolids program utilized by the City beneficially reuses the biosolids over a relatively wide geographic area on privately owned agricultural land in Douglas and Leavenworth Counties. The current demand for the material exceeds our ability to supply the biosolids. As chemical fertilizers use fossil fuel as a raw material, the value of organic products, such as biosolids, will likely increase.
The City may elect to maintain the buffer area as leased farm ground and apply a portion of the biosolids at agronomical rates to fertilize the planted crops surrounding the new Wakarusa facility. However there is no intent to discontinue the use of biosolids on privately owned properties.The City’s biosolids are well within compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations and the biosolids program nationally recognized for quality and sustainability.
For more information on the City’s Environmental Management Systems certifications, refer to the following web site:
http://lawrenceks.org/utilities/LWWMS.shtml
For more information on the City’s biosolids program, refer to the following web site:
http://lawrenceks.org/utilities/Biosolids.shtml
For more information on EPA’s biosolids program, refer to the following website:
http://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/biosolids/index.htm
Q: Can the additional property surrounding the facility footprint be utilized for other community benefits?
A: Yes, the area surrounding the water reclamation facility could be used for several public benefits such as open space, a bike/hike trail, or an educational center. Representatives from the PAC (Public Advisory Committee) will be following the project through preliminary design and will be asked to provide input on this topic.
Q: As a property owner, how will I be impacted by the sewer lines to the new facility? Will I be assessed for a portion of the cost of the lines?
A: We are in the process of beginning a study to determine the most appropriate corridor for the sewer lines to connect the new facility with existing and new sewer infrastructure, so specific routings have not yet been determined. Where possible, routings will be along the right-of-ways of roadways to avoid any impact on personal property. However, in some cases, sewer lines may need to be routed on personal property. In these cases, the City will have to purchase a right-of-way from the property owner on which to locate the sewer infrastructure. The property owner would still be able to use the property, but would need to allow access by City personnel for the construction and maintenance of the pipeline. There may be restrictions of use included with the easement that will be negotiated with the property owner.
Currently, the sewer corridor study is expected to run through early 2007. Public meetings will be held to discuss the results of this study as it progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions (Added 08-01-06)
Q: Why is the study focusing on the Wakarusa River instead of the Kaw River?
A: In previous work, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) had more stringent discharge limits on the Wakarusa River than on the Kansas (Kaw) River. However, with KDHE’s impending surface water nutrient reduction plan, the discharge limits on the Kaw and Wakarusa Rivers will be similar. The results of the 2003 Wastewater Master Plan showed that it was more economical to expand Lawrence’s capacity to process sewage by adding a new plant to the south along the Wakarusa River rather than increasing the capacity of the existing plant along the Kaw River due to the cost of a sewage pipeline delivery system. (Public Meeting #3)
Q: Has the pipeline route that will convey sewage to the new Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility been determined?
No, the city and its consultant team will be initiating the next phase of the project in July. This phase will include a study to determine the location of the collection system piping and pumping stations. It is anticipated that the pipeline corridor study will be complete by early 2007. (Public Meeting #3)
Q: Does each site under consideration require raising the facility above the flood plain? If so, have these costs been included in the analysis?
Of the seven sites considered in the study, five sites have significant portions located within the floodplain. Locations in the floodplain were prevalent in the study because they are, by definition, low-lying areas that can accommodate the highest potential for flow by gravity from a given watershed. Facilities built within the floodplain are required to be protected from flooding by either increasing the site elevation or berming the perimeter of the site. The Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility will be protected to a level between the 300 and 500 year flood event, a similar level of protection to that used for the existing plant. These flood protection costs by site were included in the cost analysis of the alternatives site locations. (Public Meeting #3)
Q: What happens to waste during a flood event? Will the new plant cause a backflow problem during flood events?
A: As stated previously, the facility will be protected from flooding by elevating or berming the facility. This will prevent waste from entering any potential floodwaters and will allow the facility to continue operation during periods of heavy rain.
Once a site is selected, the Corps of Engineers’ permitting process requires hydraulic modeling of the river be conducted to ensure that the facility will not flood nor will the construction have a negative affect on the upstream water elevation.
As far as protection to the public in the collection system is concerned, the piping and facilities will be designed to similar standards regarding overflow protection as the existing collection system piping. (Public Meeting #3)
Q: How will odors from the facility be addressed?”
A: A 1,000 foot facility buffer is planned around the entire facility to mitigate odors by increasing the distance between adjacent neighbors and the facility. Further work is required to evaluate what odor control measures should be incorporated within the facility design.
Q: How will groundwater sources be secured against contamination from the site?
A: Facility structures will be leak-tight to prevent contamination.
Q: I understand you are performing on-site investigations of the two potential site alternatives. What on-site investigations are you performing and what is their purpose?
A: We are in the process of performing several site investigations on each of the potential sites. It is anticipated that on-site investigations of each of the potential sites will be completed in July. The site investigations being conducted and their primary purpose are given in the table below:
Investigation |
Purpose |
Survey of property boundaries |
Utilizes survey crew to provide more detailed information on location of property boundaries. |
Wetlands delineation |
Preliminary report for the Corps of Engineers regarding potential facility impacts on wetlands and waters of the United States. |
Threatened/endangered species |
Preliminary inventory of threatened and endangered (T&E) species in the area (plants and animals) and/or the existence of habitats conducive to T&E species. |
Archeological/historical |
Preliminary inventory of standing buildings to determine historic properties; search site for evidence of archeological artifacts |
Phase I environmental |
Research based and field visual inspection to determine if there is a potential of existing environmental contamination on the property prior to acquisition. |
Geotechnical borings |
Will only take place on land where facility (not buffer) is proposed; soil borings are taken to observe soil type and location of rock for use in developing construction cost estimates. |
Appraisal |
Study public records and view properties to develop an appraisal report on the value of the properties. |
Q: How will noise and light from the facility impact adjacent homeowners?
Most treatment equipment is not particularly loud. Loud equipment may be placed in buildings or quieted through the addition of a variety of sound abatement technologies, such as mufflers or enclosures. In addition, the 1,000 foot facility buffer will provide enough isolation that equipment noises beyond the buffer boundary will be very limited.
Industrial lighting is a required component of a treatment facility, facilitating proper plant operation and personnel safety. Focused lighting, shading, and screening can reduce the impact of light off-site. In addition, the 1,000 foot facility buffer will assist in mitigation of facility lighting impact to adjacent homes.
Frequently Asked Questions (Updated 12-7-05)
Useful Resources
- Map of Distribution Flow to Wakarusa and Kansas River WWTPs
- PDF on Population, Employment, and Land Use
Q: What is the difference between a wastewater treatment plant and a water reclamation facility? Aren't they the same?
A: Yes and No. Both facilities receive and treat the influent to acceptable levels for discharge, which is their similarity. Many wastewater treatment plants discharge to a river or stream. However, a water reclamation facility's effluent may be utilized for some other purpose or function, such as irrigation, grey water use, groundwater recharge, wetlands hydration, or some other use that recognizes the value of the water discharged. Depending upon the planned use, the effluent may be required to be treated to a higher water quality than what would be required for discharge to a receiving water body. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: Isn't this just a "name-game" then by calling it a water reclamation facility?
A: No, it's a paradigm shift. Our vision is to maximize the use of the effluent to the highest potential and provide features that enhance the value of the land surrounding the facility to create a public asset. Water is a resource that is not unlimited. We have the potential to plan for and accommodate alternative uses of the treated effluent to reduce demands on our City's water system by considering the uses previously mentioned. In addition, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment requires a buffer between the facility site and the surrounding property and we have the ability to utilize this land for parks, wetlands, trails, ponds, open space, or many other features that could improve the quality of our citizen's life. The facility has the potential to be more than "just" a wastewater treatment plant. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: How will odors from the facility be addressed?
A: The process considerations for the new facility will include the ability to cover, collect, and treat typical process units which generate odors. In a well run facility, odors are most prevalent where the wastewater enters the plant (typically called the headworks), at the primary basins (which are the first structures in the process where material is allowed to settle to the bottom for removal and solids processing), and at turbulent locations where dissolved gases are allowed to escape. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: Will the discharges from a water reclamation facility increase the flood levels of the Wakarusa River?
A: No. The effluent flow rate of treated water will have an insignificant impact on the water level during rain events. The projected annual average discharge from the facility is 6.9 million gallons per day (or approximately 10.7 cubic feet per second (cfs)) by 2025.
In comparison, according to the United States Geologic Survey, the mean flow on the Wakarusa River is 265 cfs and has reportedly ranged from no flow on multiple occasions up to 11,910 cfs during the 100 year flood event.
When a site is ultimately selected, a hydraulic model of the River will be conducted to ensure that the discharge will not have negative impacts. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: Will the discharges from the water reclamation facility pollute the Wakarusa River?
A: No. The effluent from the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility will meet all required permit limits established by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and will be of a higher quality than the water flowing in the stream. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: Will the water reclamation facility be located in the floodplain?
A: Floodplain locations will be considered because they accommodate the most gravity flow potential possible from a watershed. If a site is selected in a floodplain, it will need to be protected from inundation by berming or elevation of the facility site and an evaluation of the upstream impacts of the additional fill will need to be considered in the costing evaluation. Any construction within the floodplain must meet strict criteria that are in place to insure that the facility will not flood nor will the construction have a negative affect on the upstream water surface elevation. These measures of protection and potential mitigation will be weighed against locations outside of the floodplain and the merits of both locations will be considered. It should be noted that it is less likely that residential neighbors to the water reclamation facility will exist in the floodplain versus upland locations. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: How will the water reclamation facility impact my property values?
A: If potential buyers believe that the water reclamation facility will emit odors, be noisy, create flooding concerns, and pollute the river, they will be less likely to buy property in proximity to the facility. On the other hand, if the facility is not built, there will be no new development in Lawrence as the existing plant can only accommodate a population basis of 100,000. There is no question that the availability of a public sewer system has the potential to maintain or even increase property values.
Q: What is the anticipated cost for constructing the Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility?
A: The 2003 Wastewater Master Plan estimated the total project cost to be approximately $75 million, which includes acquisition of the plant site property, design, and construction costs. The project also includes $10 million for collection system improvements integral to the WRF, for a total project cost of $85M. The 2004 Rate Study included this capital outlay, which is reflected in the City's current wastewater rates which will allow the City to continue to provide quality service, maintain the existing infrastructure, and construct capital improvement projects to accommodate system expansion. (Public Meeting #1)
Q: Will facility security issues be addressed by the study?
A: Facility security issues will need to be discussed with the Public Advisory Committee to see if security should be added to criteria. If level of security is equal to all alternative processes and site locations, it is a cost impact and not a differentiator. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: How can floodplain issues be planned for when modeling reflects proposed land uses?
A: The City of Lawrence's floodplain development standards will be followed when modeling the Wakarusa River. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: How much of the 6.9 mgd is existing plant flow?
A: Please refer to the attached planned flow split graphic. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: Can we link treatment alternatives with improving water quality on the Wakarusa River?
A: Yes, water quality impacts are one of the environmental considerations included in the analysis. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: Will drinking water supply be linked to storm sewer treatment demand?
A: The Public Advisory Committee should discuss if this should be involved in the evaluation criteria. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: What information is available related to capacity and growth projections?
A: Please refer to the following excerpt from the City of Lawrence's webpage regarding the capacity of the existing wastewater treatment plant.
- "Plant Capacity: The wastewater treatment plant on East 8th Street has a 100,000 capita and 12.5 mgd hydraulic capacity. Per information we've recorded during the last six months*, utilization of that design capacity is as follows:
- Hydraulic: 79% or 9.9 mgd
- Organic Load: 85% or 13,412 lbs. per day or 15, 800 lbs per day capacity
- Solids Load: 97% or 16,806 lbs per day of 17,380 lbs per day capacity
- (*Utilities Department staff tracks this information monthly - in the future, quarterly updates to the City Commission will be provided.)
- The more critical parameters are hydraulic and organic. Thus, given this information, we have design capacity at the existing plan available for about another 10,000 to 15,000 increase in population for the community. Note - a project involving the solids stabilization processes (digestion) is in the Capital Improvements Plan in 2006 for $2.7 million that will allow this process unit to be in line with the other units at the plant designed to serve a 100,000 population. It is clearly important, given these utilization percentages, for the Wakarusa River Water Reclamation Facility project to progress at a rate consistent with a 2011 operation time frame."
Please refer to the attached table and excerpt from the 2003 Waste Water Master Plan reflecting growth projections. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: What are the topography changes from the Four Seasons Pump Station to East 1750 Road?
A: The elevation at the Four Seasons Complex is El. 830. From the FEMA map, it appears that the elevation at East 1750 Road is about E. 815 within the floodway and El. 820 to El. 850 (rounds up to 950) within the vicinity of 1750 South of the Wakarusa River. Maps showing topography will be provided when alternatives are evaluated. (PAC Workshop #1)
Q: What are the population projects for west and south areas of Lawrence?
A: Please refer to the previously discussed map illustrating the proposed flow split between the two plants and basin population projections. (PAC Workshop #1)
