PRAIRIE GROVE -- As a precautionary measure, water from one of the irrigation ponds near the clubhouse at Valley View golf course was hauled to the Prairie Grove wastewater plant last week so that the pond would not have an overflow of raw sewage, according to Jerry Kopke with Communities Unlimited in Fayetteville.
Washington County Circuit Judge John Threet placed the sewer system that services Valley View subdivision -- owned by Washington County Property Owners Improvement District No. 5 -- into receivership April 21. Communities Unlimited was named as the receiver to take possession of the system and bring it into compliance with state laws and regulations.
The irrigation ponds behind the clubhouse were getting full, but the water cannot be used to irrigate the golf course because the Improvement District does not have an approved wastewater permit from Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Kopke said last week. The District's permit expired Jan. 31.
Kopke said the irrigation ponds contain rain water, drainage and untreated wastewater. The ponds are part of the sewer system's design and fall under ADEQ regulations, Kopke said.
The untreated wastewater in the irrigation ponds came from the sewer system's holding lagoon, located near the treatment facility, Kopke said. He noted that no new untreated wastewater has gone into the irrigation ponds since Communities Unlimited was appointed receiver April 21.
"We've shut that down since the receiver took over," Kopke said.
Past inspections by ADEQ have shown evidence of unpermitted sewage overflows from the irrigation ponds.
"Our only option is to pump and take it to Prairie Grove," Kopke said, adding that Larry Oelrich with the city of Prairie Grove has been very cooperative in helping the Improvement District. "This is an expensive alternative but the only one we have now."
The two irrigation ponds drain into each other so Kopke has contracted with Denali Water Solutions of Russellville to pump water from the south pond. Two trucks traveled back and forth Monday through Thursday of last week between the irrigation pond and Prairie Grove's sewer plant.
Oelrich said the water is going through the full treatment at the Prairie Grove wastewater plant. On Friday, Oelrich said the sewer plant had received 340,000 gallons of water from Valley View.
Kopke said the arrangement is temporary. With recent rains and predicted rains, he said he was being proactive and taking precautions and planned to haul water until he felt comfortable that the pond could handle any additional rainfall without undo risk.
"We're taking all steps necessary to avoid an overflow," Kopke said.
Kopke said he is making progress as receiver. He has hired a consulting engineer, Engineering Services Inc. of Springdale, to develop a corrective-action plan, to supervise the plan and to prepare an application for a new wastewater permit from ADEQ.
He also has hired a new licensed wastewater operator, William Winn. Winn will work closely with the engineer on operations and any needed repairs.
Kopke was hesitant to give any kind of timetable.
"We have so many things going on at once," he said. "We find additional things that need to be looked at on a regular basis."
Communities Unlimited also has signed an agreement for Washington Water Authority to provide billing and collection for sewer bills through the Improvement District.
"I think that will be a good service for customers and the district," he said.
The receivership is part of an ongoing Circuit Court lawsuit filed against Washington County Property Owners District No. 5 and its three commissioners, Joe Stewart, Jennifer Stewart and Johns Lipsmeyer. The suit was filed by Washington County, the cities of Farmington and Prairie Grove, Rausch Coleman Valley View and Valley View Property Owners Association.
The three commissioners resigned their positions in court April 21.
The county suit asked that the Improvement District be placed into receivership because of the danger of harm to the health and safety of residents in the subdivision and the danger to the environment.
As part of the receivership, Joe Stewart was to provide records and information to Communities Unlimited. Kopke said Stewart has cooperated and provided all information as requested.
Also ongoing in Circuit Court is a separate suit filed by ADEQ against the Improvement District.
Kopke said he has scheduled a meeting with ADEQ inspectors at the treatment facility to tour the system and discuss problems and violations identified by ADEQ through many inspections the past year. Violations include sewer overflows, failure to report overflows and equipment not working as required by the District's ADEQ wastewater permit.
General News on 05/18/2016