News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Sparta moving forward with a $50,000 project to remove sludge from its water treatment plant.
City Administrator Brad Hennessee said the city contracted with a company to use a vacuum hose.
“Last year is the first year that we actually used this type of method to dewater the lagoon,” Hennessee said. “It’s really as much a safety issue as anything else.”
Hennessee said city employees used to use a backhoe to remove the sludge. Hennessee said the new practice is also more efficient.
“That sludge is messy and it is slick,” Hennessee said. “We were sliding around with our equipment, and it became such a safety issue that we started looking for other means of dewatering the lagoons.”
Hennessee said the budgeted work is conducted yearly to stay in compliance with the state. Hennessee said the price usually comes out about the same compared to the past practice.
“The work will have to scheduled after they are notified about the approval to move forward,” Hennessee said. “So as of right now there is no schedule set, but we need to get to it this time of year just because it is drier than some parts of the year.”
