Durham County recently released its mandatory performance annual report for the Triangle Wastewater Treatment Plant on the southern end of the county, down on NC 55 right by the Wake Co. line.
The plant is treating about 4.5 million gallons per day of wastewater coming in from the sewage system for 9,700 residential, industrial and commercial users, including Durham's segment of RTP, and is leasing capacity temporarily to Cary.
A decade ago, the plant was the poster child for many of the same issues that are plaguing discussions of run-off from developments and stormwater management systems -- mostly involving the promulgation of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus into downstream Jordan Lake, creating algae blooms and eventually lower oxygen levels in lakes.
As a result the County spent nearly $30 million to rebuild the plant, doubling its capacity to 12 MGD and bringing the effluent standards of wastewater to acceptable levels.
The annual report shows the result of the project, and it's good news for local waterways:
Inflows of nitrogen have doubled since 2005, but outflows have gone down by almost 400% over the same period.
It's nice to get to talk about the good things happening in local government when they happen; this project, one which the County regularly (and rightly) trots out as an example of thoughtful planning and execution, is a great example.
The big question for neighborhoods and for the city and county is, what kind of investment will it take to bring stormwater management systems up to the same level of compliance?
Comments