By Laurie Hull,The Chronicle, The Chronicle, 8/11/99
NAPAVINE - With rising cost projections for a proposed regional sewage treatment plant affecting the City of Napavine, the council heard Tuesday night from Frank Kirkbride, a Napavine native who represents the Kirkbride Group Inc. and WWT.Systems
This company is backed by investors who research, design, finance, construct, own, and operate wastewater plants for cities.
The difference between this company's plants and the majority of plants is that it creates marshland as a treatment facility. This is called wetlands wastewater treatment. Marshlands that house bacteria naturally filter their own water.
This type of system came out of research in the 1960s and '70s in the East and Midwest. The system provides a humanmade wetland that houses wildlife and foliage found in natural wetlands.
Natural wetlands are not used because they create canals, and the water is not filtered properly when used as a treatment area. With some added filtering near the end of the process, the water comes out clean enough to drink.
Napavine is looking at having to contribute another $6,000 to the regional plant fund owing to engineering cost overruns.
Kirkbride explained that the city would not have to put out the money for the plant; the investors would finance it on a 20-year bond. The cost to city residents stays constant the entire term of the bond, which means no fee hikes to the citizens.
Other advantages of this system, Kirkbride said, are that the city could be separate from the regional system with its own wastewater system, it would have no additional staff to hire, the area would be environmentally sound, and the plan is administratively simple.
WWT has a system such as this at Millersylvania State Park near Maytown; it is 3 years old. The cities of Rainier and Tenino have already passed resolutions to contract with WWT to look into such plants. The company also has a large system operating in Connell.
Kirkbride said the Napavine system would require only two or three acres. In the future, he said, if industry or a subdivision were added to the city, each could possibly have its own marshland to treat its sewage, or the company would simply expand the current system.
The council was very interested in the options presented, and will meet with City Attorney Bill Hillier to study the possibility of Napavine having its own system. Information is available from any council member.
IN OTHER BUSINESS:
Councilor Gary McGuire re ported he had attended a report writing seminar dealing with domestic violence when children are involved. He said this is a cooperative effort with state, county and city agencies to help build a bridge be tween the state and the small police agencies.
McGuire also reported the city would set up two large trash containers to which citizens may bring their household waste. Date for the collection are Sept. I through 27. Citizens will be notified of the locations, and will be asked not to bring hazardous materials tires, vehicles, and appliances.
From 7 to 7:30 p.m. be Aug. 24's council meeting, the public may attend a social time to me the owners of the Hampton Co. The represent a mill that will be moving into Napavine. The regular meeting will commence at 7:30 that night.
Laurie Hull, The Chronicle's South Lewis County correspondent, can be reached by e-mail at tuffiesmom@yahoo.com, or by telephone at 266-0330.
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