Waste Water Treatment Plant Hot Spot for New Development

(posted June 17)

It appears Speedway Waste Water Treatment Plant's site is becoming prime real estate for certain business and town uses.

Merrell Bros. Biosolid Management Company preferred this site to opening its business along Cossell Road. Merrell Bros made a business presentation to the council June 5 after the council approved a request for proposal to lease two acres of land on May 14. The RFP opens the site to anyone who wants to submit a bid to lease the site. It is does not necessarily mean Merrell Bros. would be awarded the bid. Although no formal action was taken, the company verbally agreed to pay for the town's future legal expenses that is required to lease the land.

Terry Merrell said the site is more compatible than the current site they own on Cossell Road because of the additional buffer space. The company worries about the public perception of a septic separation business being so visible to the street if it would continue to pursue development of Cossell Road. As a business, they do everything they can to eliminate odors.

The company also plans to convert waste vegetable oils into bio-diesel fuels in addition to collecting septic waste. The septic waste will be de-watered and discharged into the waste water treatment plant and the remaining bio-solids will be land applied. He noted that because the septic volume fluctuates he preferred the town and the company bill for the actual services performed by each party. Merrell Bros would bill the town for removing the its sludge than rather negotiate a discounted contract price for being located on the town's property.

Merrell explained the company initially selected Cossell Road's location because it was the only available site at that time close to the treatment plant. The waste water treatment plant was not available at that time. The company needs to release water from the septic separation into the waste water treatment plant. It would not be potable water quality entering the plant.

The Merrell Bros.' new facility would be called Merrell Bros. Indy Disposal Solutions. It would be about a $700,000 investment of building and equipment. The company plans to add five to seven more on to the payroll. He expected truck traffic to range from four to eight a day unless an emergency incident happened where IDEM summoned them to clean a spill. The truck traffic could increase to 20 to 30 trucks a day to clean up the spill.

Councilman Dean Farmer expressed concern that taking more discharge could increase the ammonia amounts that the town is currently battling. The town has reached an agreed order with IDEM

to fix the ammonia and E-Coli problems that are classified as violations. The projected cost is $850,000
if both phases are necessary. The first phase should take care of the problem by replacing the media layer and distribution system. This cost is estimated at $580,000 with the hopes of obtaining a $319,000 grant to cover some of the cost.

The plant has a serious moss problem that is inhibiting the treatment process causing the ammonia levels to rise. If the moss cannot be contained by phase one method, domes will have to be installed over the two nitrification towers. The sunlight fosters the moss growth.

Merrell said they would add extra weirs to help reduce the ammonia levels before sending the water to the plant.

The council inquired with HNTB and Common Wealth Engineers if Merrell Bros.' operations would interfere if Praxair's gasification operations and the street department were to relocate within the 57 acres. Superintendent Wendell Walters said he preferred the waste water treatment plant instead of the Merrell Bros site on Cossell Road. Both firms praised the company's business operations and did not see a problem.

The street department feasibility study is showing some flaws in locating the street department on Cossell Road. The study indicated the site has less usable land than previously thought because of an easement.
The well heads would also have to be closed and water and sewer would need to be extended at the site. This would drive the cost up close to $1 million. The WWTP would allow the street department to build a 10,000 square foot building for $400,000. The town still has to be concerned with well head protection at the WWTP.