Water treatment ribbon cutting set

An opportunity for the public -- and the governor -- to see the newest technology in water treatment will be available at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the McCook water treatment plant.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony Aug. 9 with Gov. Dave Heineman at 1:30 p.m. at the McCook water treatment plant, 1 1/2 miles south of McCook on U.S. Highway 83 and 3/4 of a mile west on Road 713. (turns will be marked.)

McCook's plant is unique as it is one of the first in the nation to treat the levels of nitrates, uranium and arsenic in water, contaminates regulated by the EPA.

Also on hand at the ribbon cutting will be officials from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Mayor Dennis Berry and the City Council as well as City staff and equipment designers, engineers and builders.

The facility will be open for the public to inspect and tour from 1-5:30 p.m.

McCook was slapped with state and federal fines in 2004 for being in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act.

The city was fined $139,000 for exceeding the allowable amounts for nitrates, uranium and arsenic in the water and $89,000 for exceeding ammonia levels in water released into the Republican River from the waste water facility.

The city was also facing steep fines for every day it was out of compliance after the mandated March 2006 deadline.

Under the gun to come up with a solution, city officials began the construction of a new water treatment plant in 2005.

The plant was completed in February, two months under the deadline, at a cost of $14.4 million.

Ammonia levels the waste water facility will be treated by a biological aerated filter system, to be completed in October of this year and currently is on schedule.