BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Ryan Brown from Wessler Engineering provided the Bucyrus Service Committee with an update on the ongoing construction of the wastewater treatment plant, addressing the progress on the plant and the city’s request for a million gallons of reserve water.
Brown explained that accommodating this request would elevate the plant’s classification to a Stage Four facility, as determined by the Ohio EPA based on daily water usage. The projected water usage for the plant over the next 20 years is estimated at 4.1 million gallons per day, which does not include the additional million gallons needed for reserve. Incorporating this reserve would raise the total projected daily usage to 5.1 million gallons, necessitating a shift to Class IV status. Under this classification, plant operators would need to be certified at a level higher than their current Class III status, a process Brown described as challenging.
To maintain the plant’s Class III status, Brown proposed instead reducing the reserve requirement from one million gallons to 850,000 gallons per day. This adjustment would cap the plant’s total usage at 4.9 million gallons per day, ensuring it remains classified as a Class III facility.
The initial motivation for the one million gallon reserve was to enhance Bucyrus’s appeal to industries considering relocation to the area or the expansion of current industry. Councilman Kevin Myers inquired whether this reduction in reserve capacity would deter potential developers. Brown reassured the committee that developers prioritize the capacity and treatment capabilities of the facility, indicating that the proposed adjustment should not hinder the city’s ability to attract investors.
Brown committed to providing ongoing updates to the council as the wastewater treatment project progresses.