 |
Lake Norman CoveKEEPERSThis site is dedicated to the protection of
|
|
Smiling tour of sewage plant What would be your reaction if you were invited to tour a facility that treats human waste? Turn up you nose and decline politely? A group of people living around Lake Norman reacted differently. They gladly accepted the invitation. On May 2, 2002, about 25 members of the Lake Norman CoveKeepers toured the waste treatment plant for the clubhouse at The Pointe on Brawley School Road. The waste treatment plant at The Pointe is a "package treatment plant", a type of facility that would normally cause great concern among those who want to protect the waters of Lake Norman. Package treatment plants have a reputation for poor performance, tending to meet only the minimum design requirements and then frequently failing to meet those standards when in operation. The tour of the plant was a surprise to most. It was interesting to see 25 smiling people talking excitedly about sewage treatment. The reason for this excitement - the waste treatment plant at The Pointe is an example of how such a facility can be built to protect the lake. It was built for Crescent Resources and is operated by Tricounty Wastewater. Listed below are some of the reasons the CoveKeepers were smiling: · Trained operators that check the facility frequently · A state-of-the-art emergency generator system · A storage pond to hold untreated waste in case the plant is down (for a few days or in an emergency - for a year) · Multiple treatments of the wastewater - chlorine and ultraviolet light · A storage pond for wastewater before release · Zero discharge to the lake - all of the treated wastewater is distributed over seven acres of woods via a drip irrigation system · The output of the plant looked like clear drinking water (but nobody volunteered to taste it) This facility was found to be the exception to the rule. It should be held up as an example of how to design and operate such a plant. |