Small Town News

Rehoboth officials narrow down sewer options

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If it wasn't clear before, it's obvious now to Rehoboth City commissioners that Sussex County officials oppose an ocean-outfall option for a proposed joint regional sewer project.

In a presentation by county officials to the commissioners at a Friday, Sept. 4 workshop, County Administrator David Baker reiterated what council members said at two previous county meetings. "They support the spray-irrigation option," he said.

Commissioner Paul Kuhns asked Baker directly if a county-Rehoboth ocean-outfall option was out of the picture.

"Cost is the primary concern. It adds $10 million in cost for the county," he said. "Council wants the least costly alternative for residents."

County officials are so firmly headed toward expansion of spray-irrigation capacity at the Inland Bays Regional Waste-water Facility - and away from a joint ocean-outfall option - that a proposed discussion item on the Sept. 15 council agenda was not added.

The county has purchased more than 2,000 acres for spray-application expansion at its Inland Bays plant.

Commissioner Stan Mills asked if the item would be placed on the county council's agenda as proposed.

"They don't see a need," Baker responded.

"We were hopeful they would put it on," Mills said.

"We need to make a decision on our timeline," Mayor Sam Cooper said. "We need to look at our timeline without county input. I think it would be helpful to Mr. Baker for us to give him our answer."

Cooper said he wanted to leave the workshop with a path forward. That path could include scheduling a public hearing on the matter at the commission's Friday, Sept. 18 meeting.

Cooper repeated what county officials said at the last county meeting: Options that lower the cost for the county increase the cost for Rehoboth Beach and vice versa.

It appears Rehoboth officials already have the county's answer, and it all comes down to money - millions of dollars. The most favorable option for the county of the six being discussed, a joint spray-irrigation project including the Wolfe Neck and Inland Bays plants, would end up costing Rehoboth Beach about $15 million more than the ocean-outfall option; the most favorable for Rehoboth, ocean outfall, would end up costing the county about $10 million more than spray irrigation.

In addition, estimated Rehoboth, Dewey and Henlopen Acres user costs would double under the county's most-affordable option.

A combined ocean-outfall option would cost an estimated $92 million - $75 million to the county and $17 million to Rehoboth. Rates for Rehoboth users would be about $400 to $500 per year.

Going it alone with ocean outfall would cost Rehoboth Beach about $35 million in capital costs with Rehoboth users paying about $680 annually. The county's cost for expanded spray irrigation would be about $64 million without the City of Rehoboth participating.

Under the county's preferred option, which would also cost about $99 million in capital costs, county costs would be about $49 million and Rehoboth costs would be about $50 million. Rehoboth customers would pay about $970 per year.

Rehoboth Beach and county officials have been talking about a possible joint sewer project as a way to save money because both governmental bodies need to do major sewer work in the near future. By federal mandate, Rehoboth Beach must stop discharging its treated wastewater into the Inland Bays by 2014, and Sussex County must upgrade and expand its system in the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach-Long Neck areas.

With the joint ocean-outfall option apparently off the table, if Rehoboth officials decide on an ocean-outfall option, the city and the county would not participate in a joint project other than the present shared contract to treat waste from county residents in Henlopen Acres and Dewey Beach at the Rehoboth wastewater plant. Those residents account for 40 percent of the flow at the Rehoboth plant.

A recent study, funded by the county, Rehoboth and the Delaware Clean Water Advisory Council, provided officials with their first look at options with costs plugged in. Baker said the estimated costs still need some tweaking, and final numbers would be forthcoming.

Rehoboth commissioners agreed they needed the final report before they could make a decision. They decided to place the matter on the Friday, Sept. 18 agenda for discussion and to possibly set a date for a public hearing.





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