Cheney treatment plant receives state award

Only one item required action on an extremely light Cheney City Council agenda Tuesday night.

The council approved a resolution accepting $2,700 from the Administrative Office of the Courts for fiscal year 2014 as per an equipment replacement agreement. Cheney Municipal Court Administrator Terri Cooper said the funding would be used to reimburse the court for replacing three personal computers and three monitors.

In non-action items, the city’s wastewater treatment plant was presented an Outstanding Performance Award from the state Department of Ecology for being in full compliance with their wastewater agreement every day in 2012. Public Works Director told the council the plant processes about 1.5 million gallons of wastewater per day on average, enough to fill the basements of 46,000 homes.

The plant’s treatment process is fully biological, no chemicals used, and must handle not only city loads taking place under different weather conditions and different seasons but also loads from Eastern Washington University – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“When you open the gates (to accept wastewater) it’s coming and you’re committed,” Ableman said. “To be in compliance 365 days in the year, that is something.”

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.