New Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City of John Day is planning to build a new wastewater treatment facility to replace our mechanical treatment plant originally built in 1949. Our goal is to have the new plant completed and online by 2025.

The City Council reviewed three options for the new plant:

• A facility that uses hydroponics technology to treat and reclaim wastewater for beneficial re-use
• A land application and irrigation option
• A traditional mechanical plant

These three options were the basis for a feasibility study that was conducted in 2017-18 by Anderson Perry & Associates (La Grande, OR) and Sustainable Water (Glen Allen, VA). The goal of the study was to determine the option that will create the highest economic benefit for the taxpayers.

Plans approved for a new facility

At the June 26, 2018 city council meeting, the council approved the hydroponics facility as the option that provides our community with the best long-term value. A copy of the minutes from that meeting are enclosed, along with the town hall presentation provided by Anderson Perry and Sustainable Water. A public hearing for the City's community development block grant application was held on December 4, 2018 to discuss this option and our plans to finance the engineering of the new facility. Minutes from this meeting are also enclosed.

Why replace the current plant?

The existing system is beyond its useful life and is currently under Administrative Review by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The permit to operate the plant expired in 2007 and will not be renewed. As a result, a new plant is needed.

Why water re-use?

The current plant treats over 80 million gallons of wastewater annually. This water is stored after treatment in four percolation ponds and is eventually discharged indirectly into the John Day River and watershed. Those 80 million gallons of water represent a valuable asset to our community that could be reclaimed and put to use for industrial and agricultural applications.

Controlled environment agriculture is one of the more promising options for re-use. Hydroponic cash crops can be grown in industrial-scale greenhouses and can be used to create local jobs and offset the cost of wastewater treatment. These crops could include bamboo, flowers, lavender, ornamental grasses, medicinal herbs, and processed plant derivatives for personal hygiene products, clothing and textiles, and essential oils. The 2017 feasibility study will compare these options to determine the highest benefit applications for the reclaimed water in our community.

Stay informed

For more information, watch the video above or read through the City Manager's memo below. You can also subscribe to the email list to receive periodic updates. Feel free to share your feedback.