Newberry and Archer Join Forces, Shared Wastewater Treatment System

NEWBERRY ‒ The cities of Newberry and Archer are officially banding together for wastewater treatment and disposal services. Both municipalities have signed onto an interlocal agreement to move forward with the effort. The Newberry City Commission voted unanimously to approve the interlocal agreement on Jan. 22 at its City Commission meeting and the City of Archer Commission previously unanimously approved the agreement on Jan. 8.

Newberry City Manager Mike New characterized the agreement as historic. He further said, “The City of Archer has sought an opportunity to develop a central wastewater system for its community for several decades. With roughly 500 - 600 potential customers, the cost to provide wastewater treatment service for residents was a major obstacle.

“The cost to retrofit neighborhoods with wastewater collection facilities in existing roadways was cost prohibitive, making it difficult to provide wastewater treatment services at a reasonable cost to their citizens.”

Newberry’s centralized wastewater treatment system began in the 1970s. The original site has expanded and currently totals 200 acres for the wastewater treatment facility, the spray field for effluent disposal and the biosolids land application area.

While Newberry’s operating permit is typically renewed every five years, the most recent permit renewal requires the Newberry treatment facility to comply with updated, more stringent state regulations related to nutrient reduction and biosolids disposal by mid-2026. The new permit also requires Newberry to initiate the planning, design and construction of treatment facilities for increased volumes of wastewater produced as a result of growth.

In 2021 Newberry sought partners for a regional wastewater treatment facility, and although staff identified 20 potential partners, Archer expressed the highest interest in the project.

The interlocal agreement provides that Newberry will construct a wastewater treatment facility on its property in Newberry with capacity sufficient for both Newberry and Archer. The treatment facility will reduce pollutants in the wastewater to levels that comply with the State’s requirements.

Specifics of the agreement are:

• Newberry will provide 0.175 mgd of capacity (“Phase 1 Allocated Capacity”) in its wastewater treatment facility for Archer.
• Archer will pay a pro-rata share of the construction costs for the wastewater treatment facility as an Initial Capital Contribution.
• Archer will construct a wastewater collection system and convey wastewater to Newberry’s wastewater collection system on Southwest 30^th
• Newberry will convey the wastewater to its treatment facility for treatment and disposal.
• Each city’s service territory is defined as their corporate limits.
• Archer and Newberry agree to comply with State law and the respective wastewater operating permits related to wastewater treatment facilities.
• Archer agrees that its wastewater will comply with Newberry’s ordinances for wastewater, including regulation of industrial discharges and regualtion of fats, oils, and greases from its customers.
• Archer’s wasatwater will be metered to determine the quanity of wasewater that is being conveyed to Newberry on a monthly basis.
• Archer will not hydraulically overload Newberry’s wasteater system.
• Archer will provide odor control at its point of discharge into Newberry’s wastewater system, if warranted.
• Archer will pay 70 percent of the current Newberry residential wastewater rate, which is understood to change from time to time.
• Newberry is entitled for wastewater recharge credits, if applicable, associated with Archer’s wastewater.
• Newberry and Archer agree to cooperate to obtain funding design and constrution of wastewater treatement facilities.
• Archer will adopt a mandatory connection policy for properties in their service territory, thus ensuring adequate funding to operate their wastewater system.

The wastewater expansion project consists of three phases – planning, design and construction. “The planning phase is complete,” said New. “The design is 90 percent complete. Construction is expected to begin in the third or fourth quarter of 2024 and be completed in 2026.”

Construction costs for the new treatment facility are estimated to exceed $50 million.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com