Wastewater Treatment

About

The Wastewater Treatment Department is composed of the Water and Wastewater Treatment Superintendent and eight employees. It is responsible for the treatment of wastewater prior to discharge to Corpening Creek. The Department also maintains 22 wastewater pump stations and performs all treatment operations, testing, and reports, as required by State and Federal law. The Department schedules the cleaning of sewer lines on a regular basis and makes needed repairs to sewer lines.

Corpening Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City maintains the Corpening Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. At present, the Corpening Creek Plant can treat up to 3,000,000 gallons per day (3 mgd). However, the Plant is currently operating at less than one-third of its permitted capacity, with an average daily flow of 900,000 gallons per day (0.9 mgd). The Plant provides wastewater treatment service within the City, and in some areas outside the City and has sufficient capacity to handle future industrial, commercial and residential growth.

Wastewater Improvements Project

In 2011, the City completed a $6.6 million Wastewater Improvements Project that involved:

• Eliminating the City's Catawba River Wastewater Treatment Plant and pumping wastewater flow from that facility to the Corpening Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Making repairs to wastewater lines to reduce inflow and infiltration of stormwater and surface water into wastewater lines
• Upgrading the Corpening Creek Plant to make that facility a true 3 million gallon per day wastewater plant capable of meeting all current and future State and Federal regulations

As of May 27, 2010, the City of Marion no longer discharges treated wastewater into the Catawba River upstream of Lake James.