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Pequot Lakes City Council Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) Facility Plan Draft Options for Effluent Disposal March 4, 2014 For Discussion Only - Draft — For Discussion Only Following are a draft list of effluent disposal options. Before finalizing discussion and possible cost estimating on these, I want to get any Council feedback. I realize that their costs will be a factor, but if there are any of these that you cannot support, or if there are ones that I may be discounting that you want to see more analysis, I would like to know it before completing the Facility Plan (I intend to submit this to you at your April meeting). Remember, one of the reasons for this Facility Plan and looking at options for effluent disposal is that the proposed 4-lane Highway 371 Improvements will be cutting the existing spray irrigation field in "half ', basically interrupting and minimizing the existing three pivot irrigators' circular spray patterns. While by no means all encompassing, following are some advantages and concerns with each of the following draft effluent disposal options: A. Replace 3 Existing Spray Pivot Irrigators With 4 New Spray Pivot Irrigators • A cover crop helps "treat" wastewater effluent before going through the soil into the groundwater. � The City already has the land, although some on the eastern half will need to be cleared, grubbed, filled, and graded. • It is similar to the existing operation, so there will be familiarity with this approach (both operationally and permit-wise). • It does require "4 sets" of everything, instead of 3 sets. • There will be operations on both sides of the highway. • It does provide for treatment of increased flow with no new equipment (increase the inches per acre application — to a point). • It will still require groundwater monitoring wells around the perimeter. B. Replace 3 Existing Spray Pivot Irrigators With Stationary Row Irrigators • A cover crop helps "treat" wastewater effluent before going through the soil into the groundwater. • The City already has the land, although some on the eastern half will need to be cleared, grubbed, filled, and graded. • While it is a stationary system with rows of irrigators, it is similar to the existing operation, so there will be familiarity with this approach (both operationally and permit-wise). • With multiple rows of irrigators, it will require more "components". • It has the flexibility of limiting spray versus big center pivot irrigators. � There will be operations on both sides of the highway. • It does provide for treatment of increased flow with no new equipment (increase the inches per acre application — to a point). • It will still require groundwater monitoring wells around the perimeter. C. Subsurface Disposal • There is no cover crop to help "treat" wastewater effluent before going through the soil into the groundwater, so there may need to be additional treatment after the stabilization ponds. • The City already has the land, although some on the eastern half will need to be cleared, grubbed, filled, and graded. • It can be used all year (versus surface irrigation during non-winter months). • There is no surface spray. Page 1 of 2