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Ashland council axes sewer pipe option Instead, they'll spend another $125,000 to study wetlands project plants By WENDY SIPOREN ASHLAND -- The Ashland City Council Tuesday formally reaffirmed its decision of five years ago, voting to once again abandon plans to pipe its sewage effluent to Medford for treatment and study a new wetlands technology as an alternative to spray-irrigation. "I can't imagine plowing under our wastewater treatment plant and spending $31 million to build a pipeline to Medford," said Mayor Cathy Shaw, adding that staff time is better spent pursuing other options the council may support. "If we're not going to, then let's take it off the table." The council also unanimously voted to spend another $125,000 to modify the current wetlands demonstration project to incorporate the use of submerged aquatic plants, which have shown promise in Florida at reducing phosphorus levels in agricultural runoff. A report is due back on the new system in October. The wetland option is appealing because it is likely to cost less than chemical or membrane treatments to remove phosphorus at the treatment plant (if the goal is to return the water to Bear Creek.) The vote was made over the objections of City Administrator Mike Freeman, who warned against investing more money in an unknown when the city is under pressure from the Department of Environmental Quality to make a decision by June 3 or face daily fines from $250 to $10,000. "I feel that this is a pretty risky venture for this city to pin its hopes on," said Freeman. The city has already spent close to $500,000 on the project, which was not successful in removing enough phosphorus from the effluent to meet DEQ standards. Shaw was able to convince several cautious council members by suggesting that the city actually has the time to study the new wetlands technology because the city's spray plan is likely to be appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals. "The neighbors have promised a LUBA appeal. We actually have a pretty interesting window here," said Shaw. "We're still ostensibly working in one direction (spray irrigation) and tweaking the wetlands." At the same time, Shaw highlighted the potential of a poplar tree plantation in lieu of grass cultivation at the spray irrigation site. The city has been working on a plan to meet DEQ standards for discharge to Bear Creek since 1990, but reversed course in February by voting to abandon its plan to spray treated effluent on a an 846-acre site outside city limits after neighbors and the state health division raised health concerns. In other action, the council unanimously voted to accept the jurisdictional transfer of a portion of Siskiyou Boulevard from the fire station to Walker Avenue. The transfer was required by the state part of a planned $2.67 million improvement project. The city is planning to completely replace the roadbed and add bicycle lanes. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA