EGLE director tours Marquette’s wastewater treatment plant

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) – Marquette officials played host to Michigan’s environmental watchdogs on Wednesday. Phil Roos, Director of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), was in Marquette to tour the City’s wastewater treatment facility.

Marquette received a $12.5 million loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund back in May of last year, part of a $14 million renovation project approved by the Marquette City Commission in April of 2023. The upgrades to the facility will increase the bio-solids storage capacity from 140 days to 180 days, bringing the plant into compliance which it had not met since 2008. The project will also add a high-strength waste receiving station.

Roos was able to see firsthand the progress that has been made and the work left to do. Roos says Michigan’s investment is large, but it’s an expense needed for the future.

“There’s such a gap, but a billion dollar gap between the need right now with all these aging plants, drinking water wastewater treatments, or sewer facilities between the need and the amount of money available, so we’re trying to fill that billion dollars a year,” said Roos. “It’s a lot of money. But, now’s the time. We need to get it done now because we’ll save costs in the long run.”

Marquette’s Director of Municipal Utilities explains the importance of getting back into compliance.

“So we process bio-solids every day,” said Mark O’Neil. “We have solids coming into the treatment plant that we have to process through our digesters. What we put into those digesters, we have to pull out and we need a place to put it. So, what we have right now is inadequate. We’re supposed to have 180 days. We have about 140. In the winter months, we struggle with that. So we’re addressing that issue.”

Also on the tour was Marquette Mayor Sally Davis and several members of the city commission.

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