Wastewater: (from pages 3-11 of The Town of Marlinton’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted August 2019)– Wastewater treatment continues to be an important issue for the Town of Marlinton. The town council should develop a detailed budget that includes costs for all work needed to ensure that the town’s wastewater treatment system is compliant with relevant state regulations. One specific issue concerns inflow and infiltration (I & I). Because of the age of some of the collection lines (over 100 years old) some water from the river is getting into the collection lines, meaning the treatment plant is treating more than what it should to be treating.
In 2018, the town started replacing some of the older sewer lines at Second and Third avenues, Ninth Avenue, and Seventh Avenue. The town should apply for grants to help speed up the process to complete the older sewer lines.
In keeping with this community plan and to be compliant and satisfy environmental regulations, the Town was left with no other option except to start down the pathway to a complete evaluation of the entire sewer collection system and the treatment facility. This will be a long process, but it has officially begun.
You may have read in recent Town news that the town has taken steps for a modest sewer rate increase. This is about a 90-day process. The intent is to put the Town in a better position to seek grants and other funding sources. Selecting a professional consulting firm required running an ad seeking engineering services. The ad ran on October 3 and 10. Within a few short days, my phone started ringing. Three interested engineering firms have already been to Marlinton, seeking information they will need to complete their proposals. Another firm is scheduled to be in town this week.
Meanwhile, a heavy frost Saturday morning will begin to naturally improve the poor greenish conditions at the lagoons. Having served on town council for 10 years, beginning in 1987, I have observed the lagoons for the last 32 years. The conditions this summer have been the worst in my memory.
According to an article in Ammonia Treatment and Lagoon Phosphorus Removal, of municipal wastewater; The EPA cites nut- rient pollution originating from agricultural and storm water runoff as among the main causes “for our green ponds.”
We are expected to accept climate change as a contributing factor. The warmer temperatures and heavier rains wash fertilizer off fields and into waterways. On a final note, I am most certainly no specialist and do not claim to be, but the effluent connection causes me to say,” Farmers, beware.”
FYI: It may be another week before the new garbage truck goes into service. The Town of Marlinton is waiting on a certificate-of-origin required for licensing by DMV.
REMINDER: When you have access to public transportation, you have options. GO MTA!