Wastewater treatment facility up and running in Cape

After years of planning and construction, Cape Girardeau's new wastewater facility is online.

Water was diverted from the old system on Cooper Street, and the new facility went live early Tuesday. Originally, city officials expected this process would begin during the summer, but persistent winter weather led to delays in construction.

Diverting wastewater to the new facility on Corporate Circle, near the city's public works station, doesn't mean the full transition is complete. Public works director Tim Gramling explained the ultraviolet disinfection station -- the final step in the disinfection process before the water flows into the Mississippi River -- will not begin until later next year. The system that dries the "sludge" removed from the water and creates fertilizer pellets also will not begin until later, when enough buildup has been created for that to begin.

Laboratory testing of the water also will not take place at the new facility for now. That will be done at the old station or occasionally in Jackson until the new lab is fully prepared.

Besides lab testing, the old wastewater treatment facility no longer will be used. Gramling said the city plans to clean the facility, then sell the property.

The construction of the $55 million plant was made possible after a 2011 voter-approved increase in water and sewer fees. The new, more efficient facility features four treatment structures and an administration building. It brings the city into compliance with recent regulations from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and is designed to accommodate any new regulations or city growth.

It's the largest public works project in Cape Girardeau's history and the largest wastewater facility in Southeast Missouri, according to city reports.

To build the new facility, a construction permit was required from the Department of Natural Resources. After the city realized it would be unable to meet the initial deadline in September, the agency granted an extension through March 2015. Gramling said that is the "drop-dead date" to bring the facility fully into operation, although it still could take more time before the facility is "operating at the optimal level."

To allow time for any needed adjustments, a ceremony officially celebrating the transition to the new wastewater facility likely will not take place until late spring or early summer.

srinehart@emissourian.com

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Cape Girardeau, Mo.