SEWAGE FACILITIES

The district completed construction of its initial sewer system in the fall of 1979. Constructed at a cost of about $3.2 million, the system included a 350,000 gallons per day extended aeration process sewage treatment plant and collection system which provides service to the Newton-Stewart State Recreation Area, the U.S. Corps of Engineers operation and Maintenance facilities and the nearby community of Dubois. Importantly all of the underwater sewer mains required to serve the entire lake area were installed prior to the flooding of the reservoir.

In 1980, due to the increased demand, a preliminary study for the sewer plant and extension of sewer mains was completed.

In 1984, construction was started to increase the plant capacity to 700,000 gallons per day. An oxidation ditch, 2 clarifiers, a sludge-holding tank, and a vacuum sludge drying building were added.

Sewer mains were extended to a subdivision of 154 lots near the lake, a recreational vehicle campground with 700 lots and extensions to connect across the lake to a proposed commercial development.

Contributions to construction were made by a Dubois factory, the owner of the subdivision and the developers of the recreational vehicle campground.

Increasing the capacity resulted in increased employment in the Dubois area. Extending to the recreational vehicle campground allowed the residents to comply with the pollution problems and provide more recreational residences near the lake. The added residences therefore provided additional income for the lake area.

It is expected that the present system can provide sewer service to allow development of other vacation, residential and recreational facilities near the lake in the future.