Wastewater

Responsibilities

The Wastewater Department consists of eight personnel who inspect, operate and maintain all sewer pipelines, lift stations and wastewater treatment facilities within the City. All personnel are licensed in both wastewater collection and treatment operations through the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses. The sewer system flow is split between the South Re-Use facility and the North Wastewater Treatment plan. Staff is on-call 24/7 to respond to sewer emergencies.

South Re-Use Facility

The South Re-Use Facility treats approximately 500,000 gallons per day using a series of nine lagoons. The treated wastewater is recycled for irrigating a 400-acre City-owned farm. The treated wastewater provides moisture and needed nutrients for crops to grow.

North Wastewater Treatment Plant

The North Wastewater Treatment Plant presently treats approximately 900,000 gallons per day and has the capacity to treat up to 3 million gallons per day. The treatment plant uses an advanced membrane bio-reactor to filter the water to a very high standard. The treated water is monitored according to standards of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before it is discharged to Indian Creek.

Tours

The South Re-Use Facility and the North Wastewater Treatment Plant are available for tours by calling 208-287-1722, extension 8.