Rogers Water, Sewer Commissioners Approve Sludge Removal Contract

ROGERS -- A new sludge removal contract approved Monday by the Rogers Waterworks and Sewer Commission means the byproduct will no longer be hauled to a Kansas farm.

Commissioners approved a three-year contract with Bob Umberson that will save Rogers Water Utilities money. Umberson has agreed to pay $17 a ton for the sludge.

"It took about a year to get the sludge dryer working properly to make Class A sludge that can be used for fertilizer," said Earl Rausch, water utilities superintendent.

"We went out for bids and got two bidders interested in buying our sludge. Mannco bid $10 a ton and Bob Umberson bid $17 a ton," said Bob Moore, wastewater treatment plant supervisor. "This is one time we're not going for the low bid."

Travis Green, commissioner, asked if utility employees are familiar with Umberson.

"He has a contract to cut the grass for hay at the wastewater plant," Rausch said. "He cuts hay all over Washington and Benton counties. He won't be putting the sludge on land in the watershed of the Illinois River. He has a farming area outside the watershed," Rausch said.

"Umberson has agreed to take all our Class A sludge, about 1,600 tons a year. However, we also kept our contract with Kansas. If our dryer breaks down or we have a problem creating Class A sludge, we still have a way to dispose of the sludge. Either way we're covered," Moore said.

Class A sludge is bacteria and chloroform free, and can be bagged or sold in bulk as fertilizer. Bentonville bags and sells Class A sludge to several individuals.

Commissioners also accepted a $29,980 bid from Franklin Construction for a new roof on the 5,000-square-foot building at the wastewater treatment plant. The roof has a few leaks and needs to be replaced, officials said.

Franklin put the roof on the utilities' training center a few years ago, and recently won the contract to roof the Rogers Activity Center.

Two trust agreements also were approved, but not signed by commissioners who chose to wait until Don Kendall, commission chairman, is at a meeting to sign the documents.

"The money we get from impact fees has to be in a trust, can only be used for expansion of the water and sewer utilities, and must be spent within seven years after the money is collected," Rausch said.

The trust is a 20-year agreement. The current agreement runs out in a few weeks, Rausch said.

The separate water and sewer trusts will remain with Simmons First Trust Co.

There is $203,000 in the water trust and $175,000 in the sewer trust, said Joyce Johnson, finance director.

NW News on 06/17/2014

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