Rehoboth: Ocean outfall or irrigation?
City officials are debating between ocean outfall and spray irrigation as alternatives. The city is under a court order to have zero discharge into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal by December 2014. One reason the city has taken years to try to come to a decision is getting a firm handle on the costs involved in both alternatives. And while the commissioners have yet to get definite costs on spray irrigation, they now have a better idea on those of ocean outfall.
Rip Copithorn, a vice president with the engineering firm Stearns & Wheler, gave a presentation to the commissioners at the May 15 regular meeting. Copithorn said the user costs of ocean outfall are projected to average $680 per year, an increase of 110 percent. The city’s existing charge is an average $325 per year.
“If you raise the rates from $325 to $680 a year, with the average user using 150 gallons a day of water, you generate enough money to pay for the ocean outfall,” he said.
The total cost of the ocean outfall project is estimated to be $34.6 million. Those costs not only include the outfall pipe and diffuser, but also include improvements to the city’s wastewater treatment plant and a pump station.
Copithorn said the costs of spray irrigation are being calculated. He said if the city were to go with ocean outfall, there would be an extensive permitting process with both federal and state agencies before construction begins. Copithorn said construction could be completed in one season through either directional drilling or excavation.
Commissioner Kathy McGuiness asked Copithorn about ocean outfalls being shut down elsewhere in the United States, in places such as Florida and California. Copithorn said he was not aware of any outfalls that are being removed. He said New Jersey has 20 ocean outfalls, and Virginia is rebuilding several of its outfalls. In addition, the ocean outfall in South Bethany has been operating for more than 30 years.
While the route the outfall pipe would take from the city’s wastewater treatment plant to the ocean has not been finalized, the pipe would most likely end off Deauville Beach, north of the Henlopen Hotel. Copithorn said the pipe would not be obtrusive or even visible to beachgoers because it will be buried in the sand.
“You won’t even know it’s there,” he said.
Ryan Mavity covers Milton and the court system. He is married to Rachel Swick Mavity and has two kids, Alex and Jane. Ryan started with the Cape Gazette all the way back in February 2007, previously covering the City of Rehoboth Beach. A native of Easton, Md. and graduate of Towson University, Ryan enjoys watching the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals and Baltimore Orioles in his spare time.
