Burlington, IA – The Burlington City Council has agreed to borrow up to $5.4-million for improvements at the city's wastewater treatment plant.
City Manager Doug Worden says the project involves the shifting of the digestion system from aerobic to anaerobic.
The anaerobic system produces less excess solids.
Worden says the current plant is running at or near capacity.
"There have been discussions in the past about a food processor possibly coming to the community," says Worden, "and should that happen, the (available) capacity could be used up. So there is concern about future capacity."
Worden says the anaerobic system is more cost effective because it uses less energy.
He says it would also allow for the capturing of methane gas released during the digestion process.
Leander Construction of Canton, IL has been hired to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.
The work is scheduled to get underway this month.
The contract is for roughly $6.25-million, so the city will use money previously borrowed for sewer work to make up the difference.
Worden says the $5.4-million will be paid back over twenty years using revenues from sewer fees.
He says the city will continue to borrow money to continue to separate its combined sewer system as required by the federal government.