GAMBIER — Gambier Village Council approved advertising of bids for construction of an automated chlorine feed system during Monday evening’s council session, amid a background of an Ohio EPA Notice of Violation issued last month.
The village receives its water from the city of Mount Vernon, through an approximately 8-mile-long pipe that involves some evaporation along the way, and thus requiring a new system to maintain required chlorine levels. But since late last summer, the village’s plans have been subject to delays, including council deciding in March not to proceed on nearly $50,000 in overall project design costs that had been proposed for work to be completed by CT Consultants.
The notice of violation, sent May 8, states the village of Gambier has gone for too long with “a temporary supplemental sodium hypochlorite disinfection treatment” that (the village) had requested on Aug. 26, 2018. “This request was a result of several days of low chlorine dioxide residuals in the distribution system,” it states.
The violation notice, signed by EPA Environmental Specialist II Tya Darden of the Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, notes the village submitted detailed plans for a permanent hypochlorite treatment system on Nov. 13, 2018, with Ohio EPA approving the plans. But since then, progress has proceeded too slowly, EPA alleges.
“During our March 15, 2019 phone conversation, you reported the village of Gambier was still operating with the temporary sodium hypochlorite treatment system,” states the letter, addressed to Village Administrator Ralph Wise. Wise was in his first days on the job in March.
“In the course of our conversation you were asked to submit a schedule for installation of the permanent system to Ohio EPA by March 31, 2019. A second request to submit the schedule was made to you on April 9, 2019, Since an installment schedule has not been submitted to Ohio EPA, this Notice of Violation is being issued.” The Ohio EPA further states in Darden’s letter that the temporary sodium hypochlorite treatment plant was installed without plan approval, “a violation of the rule.”
Darden’s letter gives the village 90 days from May 8, or until August 8, to “complete construction of the permanent sodium hypochlorite treatment system in accordance with the approved plans.” The letter adds however that if there are “extenuating circumstances,” the village may submit an alternative construction schedule.
Wise told council he is working on the request for a new, permanent, automated chlorine feed system by the end of this week. Darden said not complying with the Ohio Revised Code on this matter may result in “administrative or civil penalty” if not corrected.
“If circumstances delay resolution of violations, the Village of Gambier shall submit written correspondence describing the steps that will be taken and dates when compliance will be achieved,” Darden states.
Wise, speaking following the council meeting, said it will not be possible to comply with the 90-day deadline for a permanent automated chlorine feeder system. The bidding process for the project takes about 60 days alone, he said. Having the successful contract bid awarded and the scope of the work set by August is doable, he offered. Completing the entire project by October is “aggressive but very possible,’ he added.
Council decided in March the cost of project planning as proposed were too high, and decided to go in a new direction. Since then, $1,500 has been spent to study the electrical capability of a sanitary lift station, Wise said. The village does not own the land related to a required easement that must be secured to allow for an underground power supply, with Kenyon College the principal land owner. The legal document for the easement is being drafted at a cost to the village of $3,000, he added.
