CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS 2026
ARNOLDS PARK LIFT STATION
The Sanitary District hopes to work with the Arnolds Park Amusement Park to relocation the lift station along Highway 71 in the parking lot of the amusement park. The Sanitary District would like to relocate the lift station to the north of the current lift station. This would change the submersible pumps to a non-submersible pump lift station. The estimated cost for this project is $3,000,000
NUTRIENT REDUCTION
To work with the State of Iowa and the Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The Nutrient Reduction Strategy is working to reduce the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone. The USGS has provide charts in 2015 that provides a break down of nutrient sources. Urban and population-related sources (includes wastewater treatment facilities discharges), were found to be 12% of the phosphorus and 9% of the nitrogen going into Iowa's waterways. Due to the fact that the other sources are not regulated by EPA to discharge water into a waterbodies, and wastewater treatment plants are permitted, we are required to make changes.
Additionally the Milford Creek was evaluated in the early 2000's and found to be impaired for low dissolved oxygen that may impact aquatic life and a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) was established for the creek. This TMDL looked at the stream and didn't evaluate city storm sewers, Lower Gar discharging into the stream, gravel pit discharges, or look at any animal operations within the area of the stream, just the Sanitary District. With the algae blooms connected to phosphorus levels in the stream, the Sanitary District's nutrient reduction is the lowest that the District is aware of in the State of Iowa at 0.5 mg/l.
Estimated costs to get to the Nutrient Reduction Strategy limit is approximately $6,000,000. To get to the TMDL limits the estimate is $14,000,000. The plant was built in 2009-2010 at a cost of $14,000,000. The Trustees are working with the DNR and have requested several times that the stream be re-evaluated during low flow conditions to verify the modeling data. The Iowa DNR Water Quality Section has refused to do so, even with the Sanitary District willing to pay for this to be completed.
REPLACING CONRETE PIPE TO MANHATTAN LIFT STATION
Concrete pipe was used at one point for the sewer collection system. Concrete pipe was found to break down due to the sewer gasses. There is a section of sewer pipe on Manhattan Beach Boulevard that was lined but the liner is not holding up as well as expected. The option for replacing this pipe may be pipe bursting instead of open cutting. The project will be replacing around 2,5000 feet of 8 inch pipe and 10 manholes. The estimated cost for this project $2,800,000.
BIG SPIRIT LAKE IMPROVEMENTS
As funding allowed, improvements will be made to the Big Spirit Lake lift stations and force mains.