Sludge Dryer Project Already $1.3M Over-Budget

Pottstown Borough Authority officials insist this new Gryphon Environmental dryer system will be most cost efficient and be easier and cheaper to repair and maintain that the maintenance-plagued dryer now in operation at the Pottstown Wastewater Treatment Plant.

There isn't even a shovel in the ground.

In fact, the unit hasn't even been built yet.

But the project to replace the 10-year-old maintenance-plagued sewer sludge dryer at the Pottstown Wastewater Treatment Plant is already over budget -- by $1.3 million.

What was supposed to cost $3.7 million will now cost at least $5 million.

According to Authority Manager Justin Keller and Authority Engineer Tom Weld, the primary reason is the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Not only did it take the DEP seven whole months to approve the air emissions permit, but because "the technology is new and DEP doesn't know how to regulate it, so they were very conservative," said Keller.

The Gryphon system is in place working in Kentucky, where it processes chicken waste at a Tyson plant said Weld, adding "but this is the first time it is being used to process municipal waste."

As a result, a number of upgrades were required by DEP that not only accounted for more expensive equipment -- like a "bio-filter" instead of an "air scrubber" -- but also required a bigger footprint to accommodate the new equipment.

The new equipment and larger footprint also made some of the contractors conservative with their bidding as well, so the bids came in higher, said Weld.

Lower Pottsgrove Township Manager Ed Wagner and West Pottsgrove Township Manager Craig Lloyd were both at the meeting concerned about the price jump.

Wagner said Lower Pottsgrove ratepayers face an increase of $357,000, a 27 percent increase in the amount the township budgeted for its share of dryer costs. The township's share jumped from $959,746 to $1,317,153, he said.

"My ratepayers can't afford that," he said, asking the authority to delay accepting the bids top give Lower Pottsgrove time to absorb the additional costs into its budget.

But the authority board voted unanimously to accept the bids, in large part because the current dryer is no longer worth fixing and the longer they wait, the more into the winter they get hauling untreated sludge to the landfill.

"Once we get into February, you're looking at another $350,000," warned Utilities Manager Brent Wagner.

Keller said there are several ways the cost could be brought down. One is a "fine screen" project at the sewer plant which was slated to cost $1 million has been "re-engineered" to reduce the cost to $500,000. Another $500,000 grant for which the authority has applied would, if awarded, free up $1 million to cover much of the cost over-run.

He said the media coverage over the "flushable wipes" issue had been included in the grant materials and may help its chances.

Additionally, the project is expected to take more than a year, even though the authority hopes to have the dryer online and running again by December or January.

Keller said much of the additional cost "an be pushed off to 2019, which would give the townships time to adjust their budgets for 2019."

Lloyd said as much of those additional costs that can be pushed into next year, the better for his township's budget.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting: