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‘Toilet to tap’ concept plugged at plant dedication
THEY DRANK WHAT?!—Bubbling sewage part way through the treatment process cooks down in aerated tanks at the sewer treatment plant on Coit Avenue.
Sewer Authority Board Chairman and Rockford City Manager Michael Young called the day historic and the story courageous.
The plant is the ninth largest of its kind in the entire world, and built from the initiative of five communities. According to Young, it was built with 13,500 cubic yards of concrete, the equivalent of 27 and a half tons which was brought in by 1,500 concrete trucks.
There are 17,000 tons of steel in the plant, the site took in 163,000 yards of sand (the missing hill of the medical mile in Grand Rapids) and a quarter million yards of dirt.
The effluent that the plant produces from the more than four million gallons of sewage it takes in daily is cleaner than the Grand River. It also doesn’t taste half bad.
Young declined to taste the liquid, which for a decade he has bragged up as “so clean you literally could drink it.” But many others at the day’s ceremony weren’t as reluctant.
Plainfield Township Manager Robert Homan was joined with plant manager Larry Campbell for the first swig of the brew, which indeed looked clear if not tasty.
“It’s a little funky,” Homan reported. Campbell said it was better than some city water he’s had.
Homan amazed onlookers by filling his glass up again for another swig. His enthusiasm proved contagious. Former Cannon Township treasurer Dan Barker followed suit with a drink as did State Representative Tom Pearce. Plainfield Township’s clerk Scott Harvey downed a glass. Squire reporters Cliff Hill and Beth Altena were so caught up in the moment, they drank the treated sewage too.
Campbell said it is almost a shame that the effluent is released into the Grand River because the quality is so good it should be put to use. He said if there was still a golf course close by he’d talk to them about taking advantage of this clean water.
“As a country someday we are going to have to come to grips with the concept of ‘toilet to tap,’ ” said Campbell. He said at the high level of treatment this water receives, it wouldn’t take much to make it as clean as the water in our faucets and water bottles.
“You could take it one step further and filter it with reverse osmosis and it could be reintroduced in the groundwater system,” he said. With growing water issues in the country, Campbell believes it is inevitable that we will eventually be drinking treated wastewater.
With over four million gallons a day entering the plant, the treatment process has to be as quick as it is thorough. According to one of the tour guides (plant staff), from start to finish the wastewater is processed in six to eight hours. That means the product that was tasted following the afternoon ceremony could have been in someone’s toilet that morning.
The plant has been ten years in the making, and is a testimony to the cooperative efforts of the five communities who made it possible. The City of Rockford and the townships of Alpine, Cannon, Courtland and Plainfield are represented in the name, the PARCCside Clean Water Plant.
“This is an emotional day. The plant represents a lot of sacrifice,” said Young, who said the members on the board have been meeting monthly for ten years-a lot of meetings.
Although sewer rates have gone up for many, Young said increases were less than if the plant had not been built. In fact, it was in response to increases that the decision to build the plant was made.
Most people will never drink the treated sewage, but should appreciate the environmental benefit to our waterways of this type of new technology.
Homan, who has long stated he would drink a glass of the effluent and probably never expected to be joined by a group of fellow enthusiasts, said he hadn’t given much thought to the actual act over the years.
“I understand the technology and know it is safe to drink,” he said. “The symbolism of the gesture is what is important.”
WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR VOTERS—Drink effluent. Tom Pearce downed a glass of treated wastewater along with township officials and a variety of other brave individuals. This morning this liquid was in someone’s toilet.
WRITE THE NEWS OR BE THE NEWS?—In the excitement of the moment it’s easy for reporters to cross the line. We thought, ‘How can we be here and not be able to say we did it?’ Drinking the treated sewage are Squire reporters Beth Altena and Cliff Hill.
THEY DRANK WHAT?!—Bubbling sewage part way through the treatment process cooks down in aerated tanks at the sewer treatment plant on Coit Avenue.
GROUP EFFORT—Those who were involved in the creation of the North Kent Sewer Authority plant were asked to take part in a ribbon cutting Friday, June 5.
THE SOLID PRODUCT—There is a shorter word for this. Along with open tanks of percolating liquid, grated walkways cover the denser solid matter as it makes its way though treatment. It will eventually be compressed into a giant glob—called a slug—with the consistency of silly putty that will go to landfills. There it helps landfill waste decompose faster and releases methane gas, which is used to make electricity.
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Start of Summer Celebration
June 12, 13 & 14, 2009
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, June 12
12:00 Carnival, Food & Craft Booths Open!
12-11pm Lions’ Beverage Tent
12-4pm Children’s Tent
1-4:00pm Rockford Historical Museum Open
2-7:00pm Changing Tent (sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church)
3:00pm Kentwood Senior Steppers-senior dances
4:00pm Dee Jay the Clown
4:30-5:30 Dee Jay the Clown-Balloon Animals
5-11pm Shuttle Service provided by REBA
5:00pm Aaron VandeWege-Delightful & Silly Songs for Kids
5-7:00pm Opus Mime
6:00 Rockford School of Dance
6:30pm American Martial Arts Institute Demonstration-on Courtland Street
7-9:00pm Tim Salisbury-Comedian & Juggler
8:00pm The Eschelon’s-Music from the ’50s & ’60s
8:00pm American Legion presents Elvis/Tom Jones-Post 102, 330 Rockford Park Dr.
Saturday, June 13
10am Carnival, Food & Craft Booths Open
10am-11pm Lions’ Beverage Tent
10am-11pm Shuttle Service provided by REBA
11-7:00 Changing Tent (sponsored by St. Stephens Evangelical Lutheran Church)
11:00am PARADE
After
Parade Water Ball Demo—City of Rockford Fire Parade Dept. (Contact Chief Reus at 866-1553 to participate.)
11am-7pm Changing Tent (sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church)
12:00pm Rockford Area Concert Band
12-4:00pm Children’s Tent
12:30-2:30 Opus Mime
12:30-3pm Tours of Little Red Schoolhouse
1-4:00pm Rockford Historical Museum Open
1:30pm Rockford Area Orchestra
2:00pm Frog & Turtle Race-at Chase Bank on Main St.
2:30-4:30 Dee Jay the Clown-balloon animals
3:00pm Peri Phillips & Friends
4:30pm Aarganik- “Organically Fused Alt Folkwave”
6:00pm Mari Castagnaro
7:00pm Rotary Duck Race at the Dam
8:00 The Outer Vibe
Dark FIREWORKS
Sunday, June 14
10am BridgeWay Church Service-at Garden Park
11am Carnival, Food & Craft Booths Open
12pm Lions’ Beverage Tent Opens
12-4pm Children’s Tent
1:00pm Bedlam in Rockford Bed Race-Pre-register at Rockford Independent; event day sign-up at Krause Memorial Library.
1:00pm The Big Tiny Young Show
1-5:00pm Changing Tent (sponsored by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church)
2-4:00pm Dee Jay the Clown-balloon animals
3:00pm Jeff Large-Acoustic
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Start of Summer Celebration begins now
DO YOU WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER?—Again this year join Rockford firefighters in waterball competitions outside the firebarn following the parade on Saturday. You must sign up by calling Rockford Fire Chief Mike Reus at (616) 866-1553.
There is no reason to wait for Start of Summer fun. Rockford residents can begin enjoying beautiful downtown Rockford and the carnival in the South Squires Street lot on Thursday, June 11. As a special thank you to City residents for putting up with all the activities, the City again offers Community Night on Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. For just $10 residents who show proof of City residency may purchase wrist bands allowing unlimited carnival rides. For Rockford residents living outside the City, enjoy the same unlimited rides at Community Night by buying the bands for just $20. Wrist bands are available at the carnival ticket booth.
After Community Night, there are still three great days of fun planned for this year’s 41st annual Start of Summer Celebration. Regular events begin Friday, June 12 and run through Sunday, June 14.
The carnival opens for family fun at noon on Friday along with craft and food booths downtown. Enjoy a children’s tent, Dee Jay the Clown, Delightful and Silly Songs by Aaron VandeWege, and Elvis at the American Legion at 8 p.m. and more (see schedule, pages 2 and 3.
The Rockford East Business Association (REBA) is again helping with transportation by offering a free shuttle every half hour from D&W Center, MVP and Rockford Center on Friday 5 to 11 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Enjoy booths, food of all sorts, activities for all ages. The popular frog and turtle races will be back on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Chase Bank, so catch your critters soon.
Also popular is the annual Start of Summer parade Satuday, June 13 beginning at 11 a.m. The parade route follows Main Street to Bridge and ends on Monroe. Fireworks will be at dusk on Saturday and can be viewed from downtown, especially near the dam.
OLD-TIME FUN—Frog and turtle races downtown Rockford are a staple of the Start of Summer Celebration. Here a youngster holds up her racing box turtle before the event.
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Little gymnast wins top spot in state competition
Rockford’s Anna Crysler is just eight years old, but an old hand at bringing home the gold.
On May 17 Anna competed in the state gymnastic meet in Kalamazoo. The young gymnast ended up winning the State Championship All-Around Gold medal with a score of 37.325.
She also won gold on uneven bars, silver on vault and bronze on floor exercise. Her 2008-09 season was also impressive, with 11 All-Around gold medals out of 12 meets for ages nine and under and brought in 23 gold medals in individual events. She trains four days a week since starting a recreational gymnastic class at age five.
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“RAM’ers” K-8 track & field special olympic team competes and celebrates
RAM’ERS ROCK—Rockford’s RAM’ers special Olympics students show off their medals and trophies as they conclude their six-week program.
Very special athletes ended this year’s Special Olympics program in Rockford with a day of competition and celebration recently. For the first time, students held their annual event at the Wolverine World Wide YMCA in Belmont. Any student with an educational disability in grades kindergarten through eighth grade can participate. Athletes work to develop their skills and compete in walking or running events (50m / 100m / 200m dash), throwing events (softball and Frisbee toss), and jumping events (standing and running long jump). They have opportunities to build athletic, as well as social skills with other RAM’er (Rockford Athletes in Motion) athletes and coaches.
Practices were held every Monday in March and April at the YMCA. On April 27, the YMCA hosted the “Rockford Tournament of Champions,” where the athletes competed in front of family and friends for medals, trophies, and prizes. Volunteer parents and teachers, as well as middle and high school students, help facilitate the practices. On May 2, they competed with other schools from the area in the Special Olympic Regional Games at Calvin College.
There is no cost for participation. All financial support is provided through donations including PTO’s and local businesses. The 2009 sponsors included the PTO’s at Parkside, Roguewood, Crestwood, Meadowridge, Valley View and Lakes Elementary schools. Local businesses who contributed included: D & W Food Market, Damn Dogs, Advanced Aquarium, Rockford Lanes, Marinades, the Corner Bar, Right up Your Alley, Aunt Candy’s Toy Co., Herman’s Boy, Rudy Kazoody’s, and many private sponsors.
Tim and Jen Vandelen were proud to see their son Drew, an eight-year-old student who was at Roguewood this last school year, compete. “It has been a great outlet for him. It’s wonderful for him to be in a place where he is successful.”
ALL SMILES—The children are very proud of their Special Olympics accomplishments and the medals they receive.
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