BROOKVILLE — Brookville Service Department Superintendent Joe Hamiel, at the request of city manager Jack Kuntz, will talk to council concerning the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

Hamiel will talk to council about the plant at its Aug. 6 meeting after Johnsville-Brookville Road resident Mike Hughes questioned council about the facility’s status at the July 16 meeting.

Kuntz said Hamiel holds an Ohio Class III Wastewater Treatment operator’s license.

A Class III wastewater treatment operator is responsible for the operation and oversight of wastewater treatment processes and equipment.

“I asked Joe to come to the meeting because it is a hot issue and the knowledge that he possesses on the subject will benefit city council and the public,” Kuntz said.

“He can answer council’s questions about the facility’s capacity, the way it operates, and the daily ins and outs of the facility. I think this will shed some light on the subject,” Kuntz continued.

At the July 16 meeting, Hughes voiced his concerns with the wastewater treatment facility, located at 610 South Wolf Creek St.

“On multiple occasions city council has been asked about the wastewater treatment plant. The most recent was the end of the last council meeting (July 2),” Mike Hughes said.

Hughes said he asked at the last council meeting if any councilmember had “hard facts data and numbers” about the plant.

“There was no answer. Nobody had numbers,” Hughes said of his question.

“Nobody to this date has made an effort to get real usage numbers for the wastewater treatment plant,” Hughes said.

“We gave those numbers numerous times,” mayor Chuck Letner replied, suggesting Hughes check past council meeting minutes for the information.

Hughes said he conducted research and has the information.

“Brookville is currently processing between 700,000-800,000 gallons a day, which are the only numbers you have given us that are factual,” Hughes said.

“That usage doesn’t include the homes by the firehouse, the new apartments, the new hotel, Casey’s (service station) or the DMAX expansion,” Hughes continued.

Hughes said information provided by Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Environmental Specialist 2 Richard Miller stated the wastewater treatment plant has exceeded its permitted capacity “11 percent of the time, which is 176 times in four years (May of 2020 to May of 2024).”

“A total of 176 days we discharged waste into Wolf Creek to flow downstream to our township neighbors and wildlife,” Hughes said.

Kuntz, on July 24, told the Register-Herald the city has never dumped untreated sewage into Wolf Creek.

“The facility is designed to operate on a daily basis at 1.2 million gallons of water coming through the facility. That’s the designed capacity,” Kuntz said.

“The facility also has a designed capacity to treat up to 5 million gallons of water on a daily basis,” Kuntz continued.

Kuntz said “all the water that comes through that treatment facility is treated because the facility is designed to treat up to 5 million gallons of water a day.”

“So all the water that comes through our facility is always treated. If it exceeds that 1.2 million gallons, which it does from time to time, the water is still being treated because the facility is designed to treat 5 million gallons on a daily basis,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz said “the OEPA tests all the water in the creek that is down from the facility and all the chemicals they test for is less than the chemicals that are up creek of the facility.”

Kuntz also noted the OEPA inspects the facility and checks the city’s records.

“OEPA officials have stated the city’s record keeping is better than almost every other facility in the state of Ohio,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz noted “on a normal day without rain, our facility operates between 500,000-600,000 gallons a day.”

“When we have a heavy rain, it obviously goes a lot higher,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz said “on average, based on all the rainfall, the facility operates about 800,000 on a daily basis.

“That’s the annual averages, so we’re still below that 1.2 million,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz said the OEPA recommends “if you operate below the 85 percentile of your capacity, you’re in a good spot.”

“We operate normally below that 85 percent figure,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz noted an OEPA permit is required for any development project the city is planning.

“The OEPA looks at the specs of the development and the capacity levels of the facility and if that treatment facility cannot handle the new project that is being presented, the permit will not be issued,” Kuntz said.

“All of our current projects have received a permit. The OEPA has issued the permits because it believes the facility can handle all the projects,” Kuntz continued.

Kuntz said once the city reaches the 85 percentile, the OEPA recommends “you start looking at studying your operation to see where upgrades to your facility can be made.”

Kuntz noted that study is underway.

Hughes said a report issued by engineering firm Hazen and Sawyer hired by the city in 2023 to analyze and evaluate the plant, indicated “in part, the projected (city) growth will exceed the current permitted capacity of the plant and localized growth will likely exceed capacity of existing collection system infrastructure.”

“What this means is the wastewater system can’t handle what you’re trying to zone in and the collection system, which means the size of our sewer pipes along and under roadways, can’t handle it either,” Hughes said.

Kuntz said the study being conducted is based on the next 20 years.

“In the report from Hazen, it takes into account every possible area inside and outside the city because we requested it,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz said there is a possibility none of these areas will ever be developed. But he said the city wants to make sure that if these areas become part of the city and are developed in the future, the sewage treatment plant is capable of handling these areas.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in 10 or 20 years, but I think we have to be responsible enough if we’re doing upgrades to our treatment facility, let’s account for every scenario that is possible,” Kuntz said.

“But I can tell you right now probably 40 percent of that potential development is never going to occur in the next 20 years,” Kuntz said.

In a paper copy of an email provided to the Register-Herald, OEPA Chief Community Officer of the Southwest District Bonnie Buthker responded no when asked if the city was in violation and fined for exceeding the current permitted capacity of the plant 167 times.

“Just because they exceed design flow this many times is an indication that they need to expand their plant and it takes time to design and build a new plant,” Buthker said.

Buthker stated the city is aware the wastewater sewage plant needs to be upgraded.

“From everything I have seen, Brookville recognizes they need additional capacity and are in the stages of planning to do that,” Buthker said.

“If they weren’t trying to address and were having bypasses or impacting water quality, then we would evaluate taking enforcement action. But it sounds like they are on the right tract.” Buthker said.

Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].