Wastewater Treatment Plant
During the 1920s, two wastewater treatment plants were constructed and several outfalls were installed, and over the next 40 years, the collection system was expanded to accommodate the growing city. Most of the pre-1960s sewer collection system was constructed of four-foot lengths of vitrified clay pipe with lime cement mortar joints. During the 1970s, major improvements were conducted in the wastewater outfall system and treatment was consolidated at the site of the Black River Wastewater Treatment Facility using USDA funding. The Black River WWTP was initially constructed with a capacity of 2.275 MGD. In 1986, the Black River Facility was re-permitted to a capacity of 3.0 MGD. The capacity increase was granted to allow the facility to maintain effluent flow compliance and accommodate non-excessive inflow and infiltration flows. In 1993, the hydraulic capacity of the Black River WWTP was expanded from 3.0 MGD to 3.75 MGD with a corresponding peak capacity of 7.50 MGD.
