“To protect local water resources so they can be used for the benefit of all persons in the community.”
Our City, our industries and our lives depend on a good supply of high quality water. Newark and Licking County have been blessed with an abundant supply of water. Within the City limits, North and South Forks of the Licking River come together to form the Licking River main stem. Raccoon Creek merges with the South Fork just above the confluence of the North and South Fork. These waters are critical to our lives here. The City of Newark Wastewater Treatment Plant was constructed and is operated in order to protect this vital natural resource. Skilled technicians, using sophisticated treatment processes, work around the clock in order to preserve and protect the local streams. Recent reports from the Environmental Protection Agency on the high quality of aquatic life in the rivers are a true reflection on the efforts of many to protect the river water quality. The Licking River is truly a success story and those who work to protect it are proud of the work they have accomplished. The employees of the City of Newark Wastewater Treatment Plant invite you to enjoy our local water resource and to come tour our facility so that you can have a better understanding of the process of keeping our water clean.
The City of Newark’s original plant was built in 1948. It was later modified to better serve the wastewater treatment needs of residential, commercial and industrial users. In 1984, faced with more stringent treatment requirements, the City began its most recent modifications and improvements with the goal of designing a cost-effective treatment system. With the completion of these most recent improvements the City has ensured the community that it can protect the water quality of the Licking River and enhance both the aquatic habitat and the river’s recreational potential.
Why do we put so much time and energy into treating used water? Isn’t water just about everywhere? Three quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water, but of that, only 3% is usable freshwater. To make matters worse 77% of the freshwater is frozen in polar ice caps and glaciers. Another 22% is groundwater. It is amazing to think that of all the water in the world, only a small fraction is available for us to use. We cannot treat water as if we have an unlimited source. Water is definitely a finite, precious resource in need of protection. If we look at current water consumption rates over the past fifty years, usage in th U.S. has increased more than 250 billion gallons per day. In a recent U.S. Bureau of Census study the withdrawal of water in the U.S. alone is over 400 billion gallons per day. We cannot survive without water.
The City of Newark, through proper operation of its wastewater treatment plant, makes a small, but important contribution to preserving the nation’s water supply. Preventing the discharge of pollutants into the waterways of this area preserves the water for others and allows people to continue their way of life. We can never take this unique and precious resource for granted. We must continue to be protective of our vital water resources. To that end, the employees of the City of Newark Wastewater Treatment Plant can be proud of the work they have accomplished.
All of the biosolids produced at the City of Newark Wastewater Treatment Plant are beneficially reused as a nutrient rich organic amendment to soils in farm fields in the surrounding area.
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Like many communities, Newark and Licking County faced a serious problem with septic tank wastes disposal problems. Improper applications posed a health threat to citizens and the environment. In 1990 the City of Newark and Licking County Health Departments passed legislation to prevent disposal of septic waste by land application and required all waste to be stabilized before ultimate disposal on agricultural land. To facilitate these new regulations the City of Newark, Wastewater Treatment Plant began a program to accept trucked wastes into the treatment plant for proper disposal. The regulations set up by the city to accept Trucked Wastes include a manifest disposal system, permitting of haulers and trucked waste operator’s licenses. For more detailed information on these regulations refer to City of Newark Ordinance (98-48).
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