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History and Costs of the Water Treatment Plant

Fernley's fresh water treatment plant will provide the latest technology for ensuring our community's drinking water is safe. The Fernley Water Treatment Plant is currently under construction.  Construction of the plant is expected to be completed in July 2009. The Water Treatment Plant is designed to provide quality drinking water to meet our needs of today and the future needs of our growing community. 

Click here to view and/or download the PowerPoint of the 
History and Cost of the Water Treatment Plant 

 



Dear Fernley Residents,

Few things are more important to our community than ensuring that our drinking water is clean, safe, and reliable. In addition to meeting the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Safe Drinking Water Act - the construction and completion of Fernley’s groundwater treatment plant is the most important issue facing our community. Treating our water with care is an important community investment. This investment pays off in dividends to our health, well-being and the quality of life we enjoy here in our high desert home. 

 

The City of Fernley can be proud of what we have accomplished to ensure compliance with the United State’s Clean Water Act. The City has taken a very pro-active role, by implementing important steps to ensure that safe, clean water is provided to the people of Fernley. With the move to a groundwater water treatment plant - we strive to ensure equity in levying fees for water and sewer. As with other utilities, such as natural gas and electricity, we are addressing our water resource in the same manner. Moving from a flat water rate to a tiered rate ensures that we pay for what we use and that our costs also support supply, delivery, water treatment and infrastructure maintenance.

 

In order to accommodate these goals, the implementation of the “Groundwater Water Treatment Plant” began in October 2007 with construction estimated to be completed in 22 months to meet the federal 2009 deadline.

 

I encourage you to attend our Open House meetings on drinking water issues and learn to conserve this valuable resource. These meetings will provide vital information about the technological advances used by the City's Public Works department to protect public health by providing safe drinking water.

 

Sincerely,

Mayor Todd Cutler

 

Removing Arsenic From Our Drinking Water

The City of Fernley’s Water Treatment Plant (WTP) began construction in October, 2007. The WTP is being constructed to bring the City of Fernley into compliance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act.  The Clean Water Act was revised to include a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (ug/l) for Arsenic.  The old standard was 50 ug/l.  Arsenic is present in the City’s groundwater supply and must be reduced below 10 ug/l prior to distribution to customers. (See the EPA's Arsenic Rule)

While the City and the State of Nevada entered into a Bilateral Compliance Agreement that extended the compliance period to July 23, 2009, the plant will take approximately 22 months to construct.

 

The WTP will remove Arsenic through a three step process:  coagulation – flocculation/sedimentation – microfiltration.  While these words are worthy of the National Spelling Bee, the process can be simplified in the following description:


Raw water will enter the plant and be injected with an iron-based liquid (coagulation) which acts as a “magnet for arsenic.”  The coagulated water will then be mixed up (flocculation) in one area, and then allowed to settle (sedimentation) in another area.  Any remaining arsenic will be removed when the water is put through filters with very tiny pores (microfiltration).  Any material that will be removed in the process will be sent to ponds, dried, and then shipped to the Lockwood Landfill.


The project is located on a parcel just north and west of the west end of Mesa Drive.  The project also includes improvements to Mesa Drive and will be built to be aesthetically pleasing, including modern architecture, low impact down-facing lights, and substantial landscaping.  The project is designed to comply with all laws and safety guidelines and will be safe to the public.  The project is designed to treat arsenic from the current levels, which average 50 parts per billion, to comply with the EPA standard of 10 parts or less per billion.