JOHNSTOWN — A status report on the Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility’s Administration Building heating-ventilation-air conditioning project was recently given to the cities’ Joint Sewer Board.
The building houses offices for the sewer plant, as well as the Union Avenue facility’s laboratory.
Facility Manager Wallace Arnold reported on air quality in the building since installation of the HVAC unit. Due to odor issues ongoing in the office area, Adirondack Septic of Amsterdam was brought in to smoke test the building’s sanitary sewer system, he said.
Arnold said toilet wax seals and a cracked sewer pipe were replaced. Several open sewer drains in the lab were found and repaired. Adirondack Septic also added charcoal filters to sewer vents on the building’s roof. Filters were also added to the new HVAC unit to help alleviate outside air odors that make their way into the office area. Air intake speed was lowered, and a boiler start-up was pending.
In other business before the board:
∫ Arnold said he and Lead Operator Robert Yaggle accompanied Sara Latressa of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 5 for an annual facility inspection done Oct. 2. There were no onsite odors during the tour, Arnold said. However, he said DEC recommended continued work on a solution to ongoing odor issues. He said a “satisfactory” rating was received in the report submitted by DEC.
∫ The board authorized advertisement for bids for two-year contracts for two needed chemicals – polymer and emulsion polymer. Awards will be approved at the board’s December meeting.
∫ Laboratory Director Mark Levendusky reported Wood & Hyde Leather Co. at 68 Wood St. in Gloversville relinquished its industrial wastewater discharge permit during September. He said all equipment has been removed from the business.
∫ The board approved a request of 177,500 gallons per day of flow allocation for the proposed Fulton County Sewer District No. 4 in Vail Mills. Engineer Travis Mitchell of Environmental Design Partnership LLP of Clifton Park — on behalf of the county — made the request. Both cities have approved the allocation.
∫ The board handled three sewer bill protests this way: 69 Second St., Gloversville – denied; 33 Third Ave., Gloversville — approved reduced credit of $67.94; and 4 Pennsylvania Ave., Johnstown — tabled until next billing cycle.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at [email protected]
