Friday, December 5, 2008
Sluething the Seaside Spills
The spill a few months ago in Seaside (reported to the DEQ, media) was minor /under 1000 gallons, well upstream and under control in 30 minutes. Because it was under control immediately, they did not post a warning but they ARE required by Oregon state law to post signage within 24 hrs of spills. The spills in Seaside happen mostly because ground water seeps into old cement pipes/manholes that have corroded from over time from wear and tear and sewage gases. This is called infiltration and is a problem in many of our coastal communities. Spills will continue to occur, especially in winter and in trouble spots like Wahanna, but the city is working on short and long-term projects for the, admittedly outdated system. Money is the biggest obstacle in moving forward fast. Sewer rates now fund most of the sewer repairs in Seaside. Additionally the city tests the wastewater treatment effluent only before it is released into the estuary. The plant switched from sterilizing with chlorine to UV light a few years ago, figuring the chlorine gas plus proximity to the high school wasn’t a good combo - bonus for the estuary. The leftover sludge (Class B solid) is taken to different open areas in the city, who the city has contracts with, rotating areas every two years. The city's goal is to eventually convert the sludge to a class A solid which could be used as high grade soil – a 6 million project.
