(Le Mars) — Le Mars Waste water Treatment Superintendent Ron Kaiser is thinking he has dodged what could have been a major disaster. Kaiser says the city’s waste water treatment facility was able to handle the extra water from the heavy rains and flooding, and he adds the treatment plant is “holding up well.”
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/May 2013/Kaiser1.mp3{/audio}
Kaiser says the waste water treatment plant did get to three million gallons in one day, but it was able to handle the extra load. For a while on Monday, the Le Mars Waste Water Treatment facility looked like an island with flood waters completely surrounding the plant. Kaiser says had the flood waters actually penetrated the facility, it would have spelled trouble for the city.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/May 2013/Kaiser2.mp3{/audio}
Kaiser says officials considered the idea of deploying sandbags around the facility, but later thought sandbags may not be needed.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/May 2013/Kaiser3.mp3{/audio}
Le Mars is getting set to construct a new waste water treatment plant that will be located to the west of the present facility. New piping is in bundles near the site for the new facility, and currently sets ready to be placed in the ground. Kaiser says he is relieved knowing the piping system for the new facility did not float down river.
Aerial photo courtesy of Earl Draayer
