Sewer Department [1]
Sewer Department
Concerns regarding public health came to the forefront in the mid 1970's when numerous private septic systems failed in the central area of McKinleyville. Studies by the state proved that the cumulative septic discharge had exceeded that area's treatment capacity. MCSD was directed to resolve the problem by building a community collection system and interconnecting with a proposed regional treatment facility.
In 1978, MCSD worked with Humboldt County to form an assessment district to fund the construction of a sewer collection system for a four thousand acre area running from McCluski Hill on the south to Airport Road on the north. Initially, MCSD collected waste from 1,600 customers and pumped it to Arcata for treatment.
In 1983, however, MCSD secured grant funding and low interest loans to construct the treatment facility located north of Hiller Road. This facility has been remarkably cost effective to operate.
Today the District has approximately 4600 active sewer customers located in the sewer service area. Residential customers pay a flat fee of $15.05 per month plus an impact fee of up to $2.40 per month for sewer service. Commercial customers pay a fee based on water consumption and the load characteristics of their use type. The District's collection system now includes approximately 51 miles of sewer mains.
Wastewater Management Facility
The McKinleyville Wastewater Management Facilities are located on a 68.4 acre parcel, with approximately 34 acres presently being used for the treatment facilities, an 18 acres wooded buffer, and 16 acre open parcel to the south. In addition, there is a public access nature trail contained within the wooded buffer zone that is 1.5 miles long.
The wastewater management facilities consist of two primary oxidation ponds (11.2 acres) and three secondary oxidation ponds (8.8 acres) and has a total pond area of 20 acres. Biological treatment capacity of the ponds is 1.18 mgd ( 1,180,000 gallons per day) and hydraulic capacity of disinfection facilities (chlorine contact chamber) is estimated at 3.3 mgd (2300 gpm) peak flow.
Treated wastewater is discharged to the Mad River during winter months when the river flow rate surpasses 200 cfs (cubic feet per second). During summer months (May 15 through September 30) and low flow periods of the Mad River, treated wastewater is discharged into two percolation ponds located adjacent to the river and is irrigated on dairy pastures sounthwest of McKinleyville and in the Arcata bottoms. The irrigated areas include 70 acres of the Fischer Irrigation Site (at the corner of Fischer Road and School Road) and 28 acres at Hiller Park (east of the Wastewater Management Facility and north of the Hiller Sports Complex).
