Wastewater

Responsibilities

The Wastewater Department consists of eight personnel who inspect, operate and maintain all sewer pipelines, lift stations and wastewater treatment facilities within the City. All personnel are licensed in both wastewater collection and treatment operations through the Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses. The sewer system flow is split between the South Re-Use facility and the North Wastewater Treatment plan. Staff is on-call 24/7 to respond to sewer emergencies.

South Re-Use Facility

The South Re-Use Facility treats approximately 500,000 gallons per day using a series of nine lagoons. The treated wastewater is recycled for irrigating a 400-acre City-owned farm. The treated wastewater provides moisture and needed nutrients for crops to grow.

North Wastewater Treatment Plant

The North Wastewater Treatment Plant is a membrane bioreactor treatment system which is one of the most sophisticated treatment plant types in the Pacific Northwest. It treats over one million gallons a day and has the capacity to treat more than 3 million gallons per day. The treated water is monitored by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) and discharged in Indian Creek.

Tours

The South Re-Use Facility and the North Wastewater Treatment Plant are available for tours by calling 208-287-1722, extension 8.