Lake Holcombe Town Board; Sampling compliance is like a moving target

Excavation is in the works for the new Dollar General store in Holcombe, on the corner of State Hwy. 27 and 263rd Avenue. The old grocery store building was first torn down to make way for the dollar store, which should be up and running by the fall. Photo by Ginna Young

By Ginna Young

Things are moving along, in regard to the wastewater treatment plant, as reported by consultant Jesse Claflin, at the Lake Holcombe Town Board meeting June 8. After the Sanitary District was notified they were out of compliance, the DNR gave them some items to address.

One of those, is the discharge readings, which is a very easy fix. When coming out of winter, the water warms up and the bottom comes up to the top.

“A lot of times, it flips,” said Claflin. “So, what we’re going to do now, is change how you discharge in April.”

Discharge will start in December, and the plant will then shut off the discharge the first part of April, and let the pond fill back up.

“We can still pull samples, so we make sure we’re good,” said Claflin. “And when we’re good, turn the discharge back on.”

The second item was a failure to report or monitor samples/readings, but Claflin says the information was actually there, but wasn’t done in the month the DNR wanted.

“These samples were taken and remade up,” he said. “It’s not an uncommon thing to have a sample missed here and there.”

The third item was the incorrect reporting of ammonia limits. The numbers have a variable limit and while the plant was all within the limit, as reported, another section on the monthly report was notated wrong. Therefore, Claflin talked to the DNR about exactly what they want written down.

“That one is all done,” said Claflin. Item four stated that the influent sampling was incorrect, as the haulers were bypassing the flow meter.

“That’s all resolved, because we’re not accepting septage anymore,” said Claflin.

If the Sanitary District/Lake Holcombe Town Board decides to resume allowing haulers to come in, they would need a new receiving station put in that goes through the flow meter.

The fifth item is that the DNR believes there is a leakage rate in exceedance of the limitation in the pond system. If a leak is running outside of the berms, Claflin said the grass would be much thicker, taller and greener, but they are looking into having a company explore if there is a leak. He does not have pricing on that yet and that service typically doesn’t happen until fall of every year.

“They (DNR) know we can’t do that until the fall,” said Claflin. “I’m pretty confident there’s not a leak.” No. 6 was a failure to calibrate the pH probe.

“We’ve changed the way we’re doing it now,” said Claflin.

The seventh item deals with the records not maintained how the DNR prefers. Records need to be in one spot and under one system, in the event current plant operator Duane Schulze retires someday, or if he was ill or injured, so anyone could step in.

“They basically want us to clean all that up,” said Claflin.

Another item dealt with not reporting non-compliance. Claflin says Schulze reported the non-compliance in the monthly reports, but didn’t make a phone call immediately like he is supposed to.

“I have to give Duane credit, he’s very good at the maintenance side of it,” said Claflin.

Schulze has his own way of keeping records and knows right where they are, on demand, but he and Claflin are making a standard operating procedure.

Town board supervisor Doug Olson asked if Claflin has been in contact with the DNR, so they know what is being done and Claflin said yes, every step of the way.

“So, we’re OK with where we’re headed right now?” asked Olson.

Claflin said the DNR is reviewing their compliance steps and that they are just waiting for the DNR to respond. However, town board chairman Brian Guthman is still concerned that the notification he received says they are still out of compliance.

“If you go through our numbers and all that, we are in compliance,” said Claflin.

Resident Larry Becker says it’s obvious that documentation fell off at the plant and that they are righting it back on track, but he wondered why it was not caught, prior to the DNR coming in. Claflin said that Holcombe is held to same amount of reporting as any other plant in the state, and that it’s easy to miss something.

“How long do you think it will take to get it where it’s perfect?” asked town board treasurer Jim Mataczynski.

“It never will be,” said Claflin. “Every inspection you go through with the DNR, they will find something.”

Claflin said they will try to reach every single step, but that regulations change constantly and the DNR administration changes.

“It’s a moving target,” he said. “You try and get ahead of it.”