Date:

December 21, 2006

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831

Steve Masters, Public Utilities Administrator, 441-7588

Mayor Coleen J. Seng today announced that two major projects have been completed at the Northeast Wastewater Treatment Facility, 7000 North 70th Street. The projects have increased the system’s capacity to accommodate future growth in the Stevens Creek Basin and other areas north and west of the facility.

Improvements to the plant’s nitrification treatment and capacity are now operational. The project has been under way for more than two years. Public Utilities Administrator Steve Masters said prior to the project, the daily wastewater flow was about five-million gallons a day. The $14.4 million advanced treatment project increased the capacity of the facility to about 10 million gallons per day, which should provide for growth until the year 2016.

“The facility was able to serve about 50,000 residents within an area of about 10,600 acres,” Mayor Seng said. “The improvements have increased the capacity to serve about 100,000 residents in an area of about 20,000 acres. Similar improvements at the larger Theresa Street plant are also under way. These are important infrastructure improvements that will allow our City to continue to grow.”

Also completed is the first phase of the Stevens Creek Basin Sanitary Trunk Sewer. Pipes with diameters of 78 and 84 inches were installed from the facility to just east of North 84th and Fletcher Avenue near Stevens Creek. The initial phase cost about $7.3 million, and subsequent phases have been incorporated into the City’s Capital Improvement Program.

Additional sanitary trunk sewer extension projects continue in numerous locations at the edges of the City to allow for balanced growth:

• In southeast Lincoln, the Upper Beal Slough project will extend sanitary sewer service from about 64th and Pine Lake Road to South 70th Street and Yankee Hill Road.
• In south Lincoln, sewer is being extended from South 27th to South 40th streets near Rokeby Road.
• On West “O” Street, a sanitary sewer is being completed from S.W. 40th to S.W. 63rd streets. This sewer extends service to areas south of West “O” Street and to north of Interstate 80.
• In northwest Lincoln, trunk sewer capacity is being increased from West Mathis to Air Park Road along N.W. 41st Street.
• A trunk sewer also is being designed adjacent to Salt Creek from North 70th to North 56th streets to serve the area north of Salt Creek.