| Wastewater wetlands project creates jobs and protects Willamette River |
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| Public-private partnership provides innovative and sustainable solution |
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The wastewater wetlands project began with a vision. The vision was to provide an environmental and cost effective solution to wastewater treatment, while reducing water temperature to protect fish, improving water quality, and providing a living laboratory where visitors could learn about responsible water reclamation. The vision was realized when the project was awarded $8 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) and it could not have been possible without the public/private collaboration between the cities of Albany and Millersburg, metals manufacturer ATI Wah Chang, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
This will be the first public/private project of its kind in the United States. The Talking Water Gardens, named for the sound of water aerated by the numerous waterfalls in the project, will take fully treated but warm wastewater effluent from the Albany-Millersburg Water Reclamation Facility and ATI Wah Chang and divert the water through a 39-acre wetland area, serving as nature's perfect filtration and cooling device, before returning the clean water back to the Willamette River.
"From an engineering standpoint, this is the most cost effective way to do the treatment and it's completely natural," says Craig Massie, Senior Project Manager for the Water Business Group at CH2M Hill. "It's the kind of engineering solution you dream of that has all these different environmental aspects and it's economical."
The initial cost of constructing wastewater wetlands is generally less than alternate methods. And with nature doing much of the work, there is a reduced amount of electricity and chemical use over time. The downside in many cases is that it requires more space, making it difficult in urban areas. But for cities like Albany and Millersburg, investments in wastewater treatment infrastructure such as this will positively affect their drinking water and river quality for generations.
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Bill Sproul, C&M Construction
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Excavation in progress
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In addition to the environmental impacts, this project has already created over 25 full time construction, landscaping, and nursery jobs. The contractor for this project, C&M Construction, has hired about 10 employees so far and they are proud to be a part of a project that gives back to the community.
"It is not often that C&M Construction is allowed to participate in a project such as Talking Water Gardens. The science is not only unique, but the construction also allows Albany-Millersburg to restore the native land back to its original wetland characteristics," says Bill Sproul, Vice President of C&M Construction. "The combination of the above characteristics and the obvious job creating capabilities make the Talking Water Gardens a well thought out investment for the future. We are proud to be a part."
One man in particular is happy to get back to work. Robbie Tatum, Heavy Machinery Operator for C&M Construction, was unemployed before this project began. "This last year has been pretty rough as far as employment," explains Tatum. "It's been nice to get back to being able to do what I like. Being able to create something like this is really what I enjoy. I'm looking forward to seeing the end product."
The landscape design and construction will be completed by award winning Kurisu International, which will add a unique aesthetic dimension to the project. Walking paths will meander through the gardens and connect with a neighborhood park. The site is home to a bald eagle, cranes, a heron, and lots of geese and ducks, so it is perfect for wildlife viewing. Trails will bring students and visitors to this site, educating the community about wetland science and environmental sustainability.
The wetlands will be completed and open to the public in March 2012. More information about this project can be found at www.cityofalbany.net/publicworks/twg/.
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