Durango’s wastewater-treatment plant may be destined to stay in Santa Rita Park, but some residents question whether the city has looked hard enough for an alternative location.
The Durango City Council moved forward to put a question about a sewer-plant project on the November ballot and ask the community to allow the city to borrow $58 million for the remodel and an additional $10 million for other sewer-plant projects.
But the councilors did not vote on a resolution to OK a remodel of the current plant. They deferred the question until Sept. 1.
The councilors encouraged members of the public to come forward with 10 flat acres near the river where a plant could be built.The city hired a consultant several months ago to evaluate alternative locations, in part, at the suggestion of the Utilities Commission.
The councilors explained to the crowd that was encouraging a new site that they rejected the other sites because of costs and extensive sewer mains that would have to cross the river multiple times.
A new plant north of the La Plata County jail would cost about $79 million to build, said Pat Mulhern, president of Mulhern MRE. However, this site is owned by La Plata County, and it is not for sale, City Manager Ron LeBlanc said.
Another location, by La Posta Road, could cost about $94 million, Mulhern said.
The price of the land and the cost of building a new sewer main to carry all the city’s sewage downstream adds millions of dollars to these two options.
A sewer-plant project will be paid for with sewer fees that increased in 2015 and are scheduled to increase again in 2016 and 2017.
The city must remodel the current plant or build a new one to increase capacity and reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous released into the river. If state standards are not met, the state could prevent the city from issuing new sewer taps.
Residents raised concerns about missing an opportunity to move the plant.
“If we don’t take care of this now, future generations of Durango are going to have to deal with this down the road,” said Tim Wolf.
While estimates to move seem high, some residents urged the city to decide within the historical context.
“The fact is that there won’t be a cheaper time to move the sewer-treatment plant,” resident Andy Corra said. Residents want the city to factor in the value of additional park land if the plant could be moved out of Santa Rita Park.
Others came forward to support a remodel because moving the plant downstream could require several river crossings and expose it to environmental risk if a pipe broke.
Those risks would run counter to the value the city places on environmental protection, said Jim Abby, a resident.
LeBlanc assured the crowd that a remodeled plant would not smell, and sites presented by the Utilities Commission earlier this year were not feasible for economic or political reasons.
The commission suggested Cundiff Park, the south side of Santa Rita Park and a small riverfront property below the Durango Mall.
The city’s consultant also looked at the old Rocket drive-in movie theater property between Walmart and Home Depot, but it was not feasible.
Recently, residents have suggested the Durango Dog Park, but the risk of needing to mitigate uranium tailings has made the site unsavory.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
