The City of Prineville is receiving significant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, as well as from state and local partners, to make major improvements to its wastewater treatment system, announced Senator Ron Wyden today. This $8.9 million project will upgrade the existing system, increase its capacity, and help to protect water quality through the addition of a wetland area for the disposal of treated wastewater.
“I am gratified that this important piece of infrastructure in Prineville has earned federal funding,’’ said Senator Wyden. “This project is an essential part of ensuring that thousands of Prineville residents have top-notch water quality.”
Prineville’s current system began operation in 1960, and today it serves 9,253 residents. With assistance from a USDA Rural Development loan of $4 million and a grant of $1 million provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Program, the city will install new sewer main lines, upgrade the pump station, and make improvements to the existing lagoon aeration system. The project will improve the treatment capabilities of the plant, increase its overall capacity, and improve its efficiency. These upgrades will also reduce wastewater infiltration into the soil.
A key feature of the system improvements will be the addition of a treated wastewater disposal wetland, which will eliminate the city’s need to discharge treated wastewater directly into the Crooked River. This addition will increase the storage and effluent disposal capacity of the plant while protecting water quality by preventing many common constituents of treated municipal wastewater from entering local tributaries.