Wastewater Dept.

Wastewater Department Operation & Mission Statement

The main responsibility of the City of St. Marys' wastewater facilities is to preserve and protect human health and the environment by transporting wastewater from residential, commercial, and industrial sources to the wastewater plant and treating it to acceptable levels before discharge to the St. Marys River. St. Marys citizens first addressed wastewater in 1908 when they built one of the first complete wastewater facilities in Ohio. Today our wastewater facilities serve a population of over 10,000 people.

Wastewater pumped into the Wastewater Treatment Plant undergoes complex treatment to remove pollutants using physical, biological, and chemical processes. The plant operates under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by EPA, which specifies and limits the types and amounts of pollutants that can be discharged to the St. Marys River. We do an excellent job of meeting State and Federal limits and produce an acceptable discharge. The treatment plant also processes solids that are removed or generated during the treatment process. Treated solids, known as biosolids, are applied to farmland. Laboratory tests are performed routinely each day to ensure that each process is operating at peak levels. The wastewater collection system consists of about 1,008 manholes and 45 miles of underground sanitary sewers that convey domestic and industrial sewage to lift stations where pumps send the sewage to the plant for treatment. The collection system encompasses all of St. Marys. We also treat the Wastewater from several Auglaize County owned systems bordering Grand Lake St. Marys.

The City of St. Marys has established long range plans and goals that help guide studies and improvements necessary to maintain adequate wastewater facilities and meet constantly changing EPA requirements. These plans and goals are reviewed each year and adjusted as needed. Over the years, these plans have resulted in the regular replacement of essential equipment, and the construction of a new treatment plant, new lift stations, major trunk sanitary sewers, and infrastructure to extend services into new areas. Ongoing studies include those that address sanitary sewer and lift station flow capacities, storm water entering the system during high rain events, and sanitary sewer improvements to optimize the handling of high flows.

History of the City of St. Marys Wastewater Department

1908

The original 1908 wastewater treatment plant cost $10,727 and had a daily capacity of 400,000 gallons. It was located between the St. Marys River and the Miami and Erie Canal north of the present day Kuck's Cove play area. Treatment consisted of two septic tanks, one dosing chamber, six sand filters, and one sludge drying bed. A sewage pump station and a complete sanitary sewer system were included in the project. Total project cost was $101,210.

1948 & 1969

In 1948, a new treatment plant started operation across the river from the original plant. The new plant utilized primary and secondary (activated sludge preceded by roughing filters) treatment and anaerobic digestion. It had an 800,000 gallon per day capacity and cost $316,000. An addition, completed in 1969, increased daily capacity to 2,000,000 gallons and cost $681,000.

1960

The Northwest Trunk Sewer Project was completed, which serves the west portion of the City, including Villa Nova. Two new pump stations also were built.

1989

A project to address high wet weather flows, completed in 1989, cost $3,284,000. The original 1908 pump station was replaced and the two 1960 station were remodeled, increasing capacity. The project included building a 2,700,000 gallon retention basin to store excess storm water, laboratory improvements, a process monitoring system, and emergency generators. Treatment capacity was not increased.

1991 & 1992

The Grand Lake St. Marys Southeast Sewer District and the Sandy Beach Sewer District, both constructed and operated by Auglaize County, were built. St. Marys treats the wastewater.

2000

The Northeast Sewer Improvement Project included a new gravity sewer to serve McKinley Road and construction of the Northeast pump station to pump directly to the treatment plant.

2008

The Northeast Relief Sewer Project diverted all flows in the northeast portion of St. Marys to the Northeast pump station. A mechanical and electrical upgrade of the station was included. The project provided additional capacity at the New York Central pump station, part of a larger plan to address storm water flows.

2009

A new treatment plant at the site of the existing facility increased daily treatment capacity to 3,000,000 gallons, with a daily peak capacity of 9,000,000. Cost was $11,012,020.

2010

For the first time, wastewater services were extended north of U.S. Route 33, initially to serve the new High/Middle School complex, but sized to serve a much larger area. The project included gravity sewers, force mains, and a pump station.