Love's sewage solutions

Since the original septic system failed and the county commissioners didn't approve a proposed system that would put treated effluent into the river, Love's Travel Stop has been finding solutions to handle their sewage until they can be part of the new Jamestown sewer system. 

During Tuesday's meeting, the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for Love's Travel Center and Truck Stop to add two additional sewage holding tanks to the tanks that are currently in use. 

Land Use Director Eric Bingham presented the new conditional use permit to the commissioners, explaining that it was not the same as the conditional use permit that failed to be approved last November. That permit proposed using an activated sludge wastewater treatment system and putting the treated effluent sludge into the Green River. Residents expressed concerns over this plan, and the permit failed for lack of a motion. Bingham explained that the new conditional use permit is "substantially different," which is why it was presented to the commissioners. 

"The purpose of today's hearing," Bingham explained, "is to bring them in compliance with the Department of Environmental Quality." 

Since the first septic system failed, Love's has been handling their sewage by hauling it to the Green River sewage treatment facility. The travel stop currently has two large tanks on site that are used to store sewage before it can be hauled, according to Bingham, but the conditional use permit would add two additional tanks. 

The application summary for the conditional use permit explained: "The sanitary sewage will be routed to four 21,000 gallon holding frac tanks, sized to hold the seven day rolling average volume. These holding tanks will be pumped out on a daily basis and hauled to the Green River Public Works Facility for proper disposal until Love's is connected to a sanitary sewer trunk line connected to the City."

The conditional use permit was designed by working with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to bring the Love's system into compliance with the department's regulations. The two additional tanks will essentially be used as back up, but will allow for the requirement of being able to hold up to seven days of sewage. The conditional use permit will also make improvements to the site according to DEQ requirements. 

Bingham also pointed out that this is a temporary solution. One of the conditions Planning and Zoning recommended for the permit stipulates that Love's will connect to a public sewer line when it is available, at which point the hauling of sewage will cease. 

"The sixth cent penny was approved. This is the public sewer line that's going out to Jamestown that was a part of that, and that's what Love's is waiting for," Bingham said. "They would prefer to be on public sewer." 

Until the sewer line is ready to go, Love's will continue using the tanks to store sewage before hauling it away. Bingham noted that the storage tanks are emptied daily and are not the same as sewage holding ponds after a public comment expressed concern about allowing Love's to have sewage holding ponds. 

"I just want to reiterate that they are hauling it to Green River's Wastewater Treatment Facility," Chairman Keaton West added. "There was concern that they were dumping it in the river and that's certainly not the case."