Water Reclamation Facility

Facility Information

The Water Reclamation Facility is the heart of the Sanitary Sewer System. It provides for the treatment of all wastewater generated by the City's residents, businesses and industries.

Industrial Waste

Industrial wastes may be subject to additional regulation through the City's Industrial Waste Pretreatment Program. The wastewater is treated to the point that it can be released into the Cedar River with no adverse environmental effects.

Water Reclamation Facility

Facility History

The plant was built in 1939, with major expansions and upgrades completed on the dates below.

Expansions
1952
1962
1984

Upgrades
1996
1998

Primary Trickling Filters

The two primary trickling filters were constructed from the "bottom up" in 1996 at a cost of $582,000. This consisted of reconstructing the floors, drains, installing new filter media, and the installation of new distribution arms.

Tertiary Trickling Filter

A new tertiary trickling filter was constructed in 1998. The cost of the filter was approximately $1.9 million. It was built to help the plant meet new ammonia regulations adopted in the 1990s by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Flood Levee

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the flood levee project at a cost of approximately 1.9 million dollars. The levee was built specifically to protect the Water Reclamation Facility and the downtown area from the 100 year flood level. The spring floods of 2001 were the first real test and the levee served us well.