JUB may look more closely at effluent reuse

• Options for additional treatment are extremely expensive

Members of the Joint Use Board that governs the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plan are taking a closer look at the possibility of reusing effluent from the plant that serves Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs and portions of Mescalero.

The move could benefit both the city of Ruidoso Downs and the village of Ruidoso by creating a water supply for irrigation, and would remove the need to meet what has been called the most stringent limits in the nation for nitrogen levels in the discharge from the plant into the Rio Ruidoso.

They voted at a meeting last week to authorize the preparation of a request for proposals for professional engineering services within 60-day to develop a preliminary engineering report on reuse of effluent from the plant, according to a draft of the meeting minutes.

Ruidoso Village Manager Debi Lee told board members that as discussed with Environmental Protection Agency officials, if the treatment plant is required to meet the even more stringent standard, JUB members would have to consider other options.

Isaac Garcia, plant manager, said $32 million already was spent on the new treatment plant, the permit runs for five years and standards may not change, because limits are being met. But Lee noted that attorney Steve Sugarman has filed an appeal of the total maximum daily limit (for elements such as nitrogen and phosphorous) and of the issuance of the discharge permit.

Lee said moving ahead with a request for proposals puts the village in a position of preparing in advance for what might need to be done to meet more stringent limits. Water reuse is something that has to be reviewed.

A study performed by Molzen-Corbin & Associates laid out the options, which also include extremely expensive improvements to the plant and processes such as reverse osmosis.

Village water rights director Eric Boyda said water reuse could benefit the village and the city. While a study is being compiled, other options could be explored for use of effluent in the two municipalities.

Lee said the good quality water coming out of the plant for the past fews years has and would continue to benefit users downstream, "but their reaction to the Use Attainability Analysis" is compelling the village to review other options that could include not returning the effluent water back into the river.

Clayton Ten Eyck with Molzen Corbin said permit requirements also could changed slightly if portions of the river were reclassified as cool water instead of cold water based on the type of aquatic life it can support. The UAA was conducted to establish the temperature of the water and other factors related to the aquatic life.