Artesian Wastewater Management, Inc., Newark, recently broke ground on its Northern Sussex Regional Water Recharge Facility.
Construction of the 90 million gallon storage lagoon and completion of 8.5 miles of wastewater force mains aim to provide proper wastewater solutions for customers and businesses in Sussex County.
The facility will recycle 1.5 million gallons a day of treated wastewater and provide an environmentally-friendly method of disposal. Completion is slated for fall of this year.
The facility will provide a long-term solution for managing the disposal of treated process wastewater from the Allen Harim Foods’ facility in Harbeson and other local businesses.
Artesian will use spray irrigation to recycle the water for productive use on farm fields near Milton.
“Our project is removing a major point-source of stream discharge from Beaverdam Creek, and ultimately the Broadkill River Watershed,” said Dian C. Taylor CEO of Artesian. “It is a prime example of how public and private investment is being used to improve surface and groundwater quality,” said Taylor. Upon completion, Artesian’s investment in the project is expected to be more than $17 million.
Artesian has built in water quality monitoring and compliance systems to ensure treated wastewater received and stored at its facility meets the proper quality for irrigating crops.
The facility also includes 1,700 acres of fields for irrigation of crops like corn, soybean and barley, as well as native grasses.
“Spray irrigation of recycled wastewater is a proven technology to improve the quality of local groundwater while providing beneficial nutrients to help plants grow, preserving agricultural open space and the local water cycle. We are pleased to provide a cost-effective and environmentally protective long-term solution for wastewater disposal in Sussex County. Our approach will allow treated wastewater to be reclaimed for irrigation, reducing nutrients in our rivers, streams and bays,” said Taylor.
“Our northern Sussex facility is a major step towards a lasting solution to manage wastewater in a way that will improve water quality in the area,” said David B. Spacht, chief financial officer and treasurer at Artesian. “We’ve worked diligently to lead by example in our wastewater business through cooperative partnerships to share infrastructure, by installing interconnections with Sussex County and developing first-class wastewater treatment facilities such as our facility at Stonewater Creek near Millsboro,” said Spacht.
The project has not been without controversy as some residents worry that the company and state can’t be trusted to monitor the plant, a News Journal story reported.‘
Criticism of spray irrigation has persisted despite suggestions from groups like the Surfrider Foundation that the practice would have been a better alternative for Rehoboth Beach, which is now building an ocean outfall for treated sewage. The city claimed spray irrigation was too expensive. Farm fields, in the rapidly developing area, are some distance from the municipality.
Artesian notes that it began providing wastewater service to customers in 1998, designing and operating two wastewater treatment facilities for the Town of Middletown. Artesian now treats, processes and disposes of over 450 million gallons of wastewater annually from homes and business throughout the state.
Artesian Resources Corporation operates as a holding company of wholly-owned subsidiaries offering water and wastewater services, and related services, on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Artesian Water Company, the principal subsidiary, is the oldest and largest regulated water utility on the Delmarva Peninsula and has been providing water service since 1905.
Artesian supplies 7.9 billion gallons of water per year through 1,293 miles of water main to nearly a third of Delaware residents.
Artesian Wastewater Management, Inc. is a wholly-owned regulated subsidiary that owns wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure and provides wastewater services to customers in Delaware as a regulated public wastewater service company.
