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| 10/02/02: Rockford
wastewater plant |
Village testing to see if new equipment can save money
By TIMOTHY COX
The Daily Standard
ROCKFORD < Rockford village officials are trying out new solar
poweredequipment at the wastewater treatment plant that could save the town $21,600
annually and as much as $400,000 in the long-run.
Village Administrator Jeff Long told village council members meeting
Tuesday about the potential switch from electricity to solar power for aerators used in
the wastewater lagoons. The village has rented two solar powered aeration units as part of
a planned three-month trial, Long said.
Power expenses
If the solar equipment drops monthly power costs and treats the
wastewater to comparable standards of the existing equipment, Long said he would recommend
the town buying three of the units. They would cost a combined $75,000 and last 25 years.
The solar aerators would replace six existing units powered by conventional electricity.
The new aerators (called Solar Bees ) also are equipped with a
³24-hour² kit that would cost about $5 per day per unit to operate after daylight hours
if necessary. Two of the aerators are in place at the wastewater plant at a monthly rental
of $950 each. The rental fees would
apply to the purchase price if the town agrees to a permanent switch.
The village could pursue a no-interest loan through an Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency program, Long said. The loan could be repaid within 30
months based on power savings, he said. During the expected life of the new aerators, the
savings would amount to $400,000, he said.
³After a three-month trial period, we¹ll pretty much know,² Long
said.
³If it¹s successful, I think you¹ll see a lot of people going to it.²
Even if the town does not make the move to solar aerators, at least one
of the electric units will need to be replaced soon, Long said.
Also Tuesday, police Chief Paul May announced the Mercer County Safety
Coalition will be holding a child car seat clinic Oct. 16 at Parkway High School. The free
program would involve inspection of car seats and proper installation if necessary.
Inspectors also will remove any car seats
affected by factory recalls and replace them for free, May said.
The inspections are by appointment only. To register, call
419-678-5670. The clinic is expected to run 5-8 p.m. and is sponsored by a number of local
law enforcement and health agencies and local businesses.
In other business Tuesday, council members:
€ Welcomed council member Greg Pontsler, who was sworn in to fill
the unexpired seat of Mayor Bob King.
€ Elected Eugene Steiner council president.
€ Accepted the mayor¹s court pay-in of $3,210; about $680 of that
goes to the state.
€ Heard Long vouch for the safety of the town¹s water. Steiner
said he has heard concerns from residents about whether the water is safe. Long said the
only advisory he could offer is that it contains a fair amount of sodium and people on
low-sodium diets should watch their water intake closely. |
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