Deep-well injection plan hits snag

Disposing of waste from the water treatment plant has hit a snag and the budget for next year includes some funds to remedy that.

The proposed 2008-09 budget includes $500,000 to develop a "cation" waste disposal solution.

The waste from McCook's new drinking water treatment plant comes in two streams: the cation -- pronounced "cat -ion," or the waste that has the high level of salt in it, and the "anion," that contains the uranium, nitrates and uranium removed from the water.

Both streams are now being diverted through the sewer plant and discharged in the Republican River, a process permitted by state and federal regulatory agencies until the deep injection well is completed.

Permanent options being looked at include a retention pond, where the cation waste will evaporate or for the waste to be gradually discharged through the sewer, with proper permits.

The anion waste, which contains the contaminates, will be disposed of by pumping it underground through the deep injection well, but the cation waste cannot be pumped into the well, as the mixture calcifies and clogs the well's perforations.

The injection well is nearly finished and the McCook City Council be asked for approval of the final stage at its July 21 meeting.

Dutcher estimated the the well could be in use by the end of summer.

Another $250,000 is budgeted in the 2008-09 budget to finish the deep injection well.