LASA Annual Rpt

The financial conditions and plant operational conditions are excellent. MDEQ issued a new operating permit in September 2004 and we have no reason to believe that our systems will fail to properly comply with MDEQ discharge limits to the Huron River until 2009. LASA has a capitol improvement budget of $1,500,000 to prevent system failure and to prepare for further MDEQ restrictions on phosphate release in the future.

Financial Conditions

Our outside auditors gave LASA the highest rating that they can give. Our public utility has approximately $950,000 in cash and the auditors confirmed that this is suitable for our cash flow and the planned Capital Improvement Plan.

Plant Conditions

The pump for well #1 failed in January and it has been replaced with a more reliable submersible pump at a cost of $7700. We continue to work on the problem of excessive storm water entering into our system. During storm events of greater than .9 of an inch, the plant has to treat nearly double the amount of wastewater. The follow actions are planned to change this:

Identify sewer pipes that allow excessive storm water and ground water to enter our sewers and make appropriate repairs.
Prohibit homeowners from directing sump pumps and roof run-off water into our sewer lines. This will require a change to our ordnance.
Improve seals on manholes and raise manhole elevations.

Potential Impact of Granite Hills, The Preserve, and Other Possible Developments on LASA

Granite Hills:

In July 2004, Norfolk Development representatives met with the Operating Committee of LASA to informally request information on sewer and water service for Granite Hills. They were told that the proposed development was outside our current service area and the sewer and water system was not designed to serving areas other than Glen Devon, North Delhi Hills, and Loch Alpine. It was also pointed out that our systems are located in a private development and expansion of our service area would require approvals from various parties but the primary agency that dictates the LASA operation is MDEQ. MDEQ would require data on our waste collection/treatment plant as well as our water supply to determine if our plant could serve customers outside our service area. It was made clear that the developer would pay any cost related to expansion of the service area. During the month of August 2004, LASA obtained a copy of a development plan that was submitted to the Webster Planning Commission and it asked for approximately 30 homes with septic tanks and drain fields. The site plan also included 4 detention ponds. Two of the ponds were within the area of our aquifer recharge area and within 350 feet of one our wells. Previous studies about this property alerted LASA of the need to hire a consultant to determine the impact of septic tanks and detention ponds on our water system. The LASA professional engineer reported the following:

That a main portion of the aquifer recharge area for Loch Alpine wells is the proposed Granite Hills subdivision.
That a minimum of the 15 proposed septic tanks drain fields are directly up gradient from the direction of ground water flow. Effluent from the septic tank drain fields will likely flow directly to Loch Alpine water supply wells 2 and 3.
Two proposed storm water detention ponds in the northern portion of the property will collect surface run-off from lots and roadways and would at least accumulate nitrates from fertilizer applied to lawns. The drain fields will also contribute nitrate to the ground water system.
Loch Alpine wells 2 and 3 supply approximately 53 million gallons of water a year and the new development will provide a large number of potential source of contamination. The protective clay layer of the aquifer and LASA wells is as little as 4 to 6 feet.
The aquifer is comprised primarily of gravel materials allowing rapid migration and there is a good likelihood many drain fields and detention ponds apparently do not have sufficient clay beneath them to provide an impediment to the rapid migration of the effluents into the aquifer.

Webster Township notified the Washtenaw County Health Department that they require Granite Hills to apply for service to LASA because County regulations state that development within 200 feet of a sewer and water system use that system rather than septic tanks. Subsequently, the developer has formally requested that sewer and water service be provided for up to 37 homes. LASA passed a resolution that requires the developer to provide $59,000 for a study to determine if our plant and waste collection system needs to be modified to provide this service. The cost of any modifications would be at the developer's expense and the work must be approved MDEQ prior to any development. LASA has also notified the townships and the Washtenaw County Drain Commission that the planned "detention ponds" should be changed to controlled and regulated "retention ponds" because they would overlay our vulnerable aquifer recharge area. In other words, our wells could be contaminated by surface water over time. The developer has not as yet funded the study. There is no agreement on this but it will be the subject of a meeting at 7:30 PM March 2, 2005 at Webster Township.

The Preserve:

The Preserve constructed a "retention pond" approximately 1000 feet from well house #2. We have formally complained that this should be changed to a retention pond because it is currently directing storm water to our well house #2. It may be necessary to place sandbags around the wellhead. LASA will attend a meeting on March 2, 2005 that will include LAIA, AACC, the townships, and the Washtenaw Drain Commission to attempt to resolve the problem. The Webster engineer asked the Washtenaw County Drain Commission for technical assistance and comments on February 18.

The Trailer Park Sewer Service Issue

LASA was asked by Webster Township if we objected to a feasibility study funded by the trailer park developer to determine if 700 stick build homes could be provided wastewater treatment at the LASA plant. The result of this feasibility study was reported to the LASA Board on 17 January 2005. A summary of the Engineering Report is as follows:

The current LASA plant is at its project life span
The plant is not likely to be replaced but as time goes on we will experience increased costs for the repairs. The estimate and design approach is based on 700 additional service units.
The plant is not easily expanded with the current technology and particularly with added requirements from the DEQ.
Any plant expansion would have to include and satisfy the following issues:
Provide capacity for the 25-year storm event flows to the plant.
Provide tertiary treatment to achieve the phosphorus permit limits.
Provide sludge stabilization to meet sludge disposal criteria.
Recommendation made that the old plant be replaced with a membrane bioreactor and supported this recommendation with the following:

It is a variation of the activated sludge treatment and is a relatively new technology.
It offers very low effluent phosphorous/solids and a small footprint.
There would be a fine screen and grit removal building at the influent and ultraviolet disinfection (UV) would be used rather than chlorine.
To handle the high volumes of flow during storms, an underground equalization storage tank would be installed (25-year rain).
Once the new plant is installed, the old structures would be removed.
10" forced main would be used to handle the expanded service area.
Estimated cost is $8,000,000. The plant improvement cost is $6,500,000.

Any study that tells us the cost of a plant for the future is valuable to the LASA Board.
MDEQ could impose the requirement that LASA modernize our plant within the n ext five yeas and any plan that would provide a new plant at no cost should not be ignored.
A development plan that includes an expansion of the service area of LASA does not have much influence on the rezoning of Webster Township because there are clear alternatives for sewer and water. The developer could just as well propose an independent package plant or septic tanks.

The Dick Berner Farm (corner of Webster Church and Joy):

During the week of February 14, 2005 LASA received calls from a realtor and a large development company and was informed that this approximately 100 acre property was on the market. The developer said he intends to ask for sewer and water service from LASA. No written request has been received as of February 22, 2005.

If you have questions or comments, please contact Neil Gerl at: neilgerl@umich.edu or 734 426-2934 or 4887 Whitman Circle, Ann Arbor, Mi 48103