WHEN GOVERNMENT SMELLS WORSE THAN THE WASTE WATER: GOVERNMENT THAT CAN NOT MAKE UP ITS MIND

It's often hard to figure government agencies out.

Take, for instance, the dilemma the city of Jackson finds itself in because of Missouri Department of Natural Resources regulations pertaining to its waste-water treatment plant.

In 1989, Jackson carried out a $3.2 million renovation of its waste-water treatment plant, making sure that it would meet the DNR regulation that limited its biochemical oxygenated demand (BOD) to 30 parts per million. BOD is the amount of bacteria in the liquid effluent that continues to use and deplete oxygen in the water after it leaves the plant.

With the DNR's blessing -- and some of its money -- Jackson carried out the costly renovation, thinking that the plant, built in 1952 and enlarged in 1968, would serve the city's needs for another 20 years. The city spent $900,000 on the renovation, the federal Environmental Protection Agency $1.5 million, and the DNR kicked in $719,000.

But on June 14 of this year the city was notified by the DNR that it now plans to impose a maximum allowable BOD content of just 10 ppm. That will shorten the life of the plant from the current 17 years to about five years because additional hydraulic loading during wet weather will mean the 10ppm level will be exceeded in five years, making the plant obsolete. The citizens of Jackson then would have to foot the bill for a new waste-water treatment plant.

The city has operated the plant efficiently and well within DNR's 30 ppm requirement. Why should the city be penalized for doing everything right ... at least the way the DNR wants it done?

For whatever reason, the Department of Natural Resources is trying to change the rules in the middle of the stream with no apparent regard to financial consequences. We wish Jackson the best of luck in appealing this latest DNR infringement upon a municipal government.