Work is underway for the construction of a new wastewater facility in Wayne County, bringing Walworth, Marion, Macedon, and the Village of Palmyra into compliance with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The project, initiated by the Wayne County Water & Sewer Authority after deliberations since 2016, is a response to evolving public concerns about the chemicals used in older facilities and their potential harm to public health and the environment.
The Authority’s study concluded that a singular regional treatment plant, combined with decommissioning activities at the existing plants, was the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.
The state-of-the-art facility, located behind the Village of Palmyra fire house on Route 31, is being constructed by Dutchland, a national company, alongside local contractors.
It will comprise three tanks, each made from 216 concrete sections and topped with 39 walkways, following a footprint of 198 feet long and 175 feet wide. The three-tank process will involve screens, grit removal, disinfectants, ultra violet light, aeration, and sludge/solids removal, before discharging treated water into the adjoining Erie Canal.
The project, funded in part by a $110 million loan from the Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) and a $30 million grant, is expected to cost $250 million in total.
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