Septage Disposal

Plant Guidelines:
In April 1988, the Town of Newport Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) implemented the conditions of our Consent Decree, in anticipation of the startup of the new secondary treatment facility. Dramatic changes were made in how we accepted and controlled the discharge of septage into our facilities.  The most important change made was that we were no longer taking any septage from other Towns; it would only be taken from Newport residents.  

Hauler Guidelines:
Pre-agreed septage haulers are now required to pick up a two-part permit which can be obtained at the Wastewater Treatment Facility at Putnam Road Newport, NH prior to hauling to facility.  The hauler retains one part of the permit which they retain for their records.  The septage is brought to the plant during specific hours, logged in at the plant-noting the source and then discharged into a tank designed to specifically handle and treat the waste. Lastly, the haulers are charged a fee equivalent to what it costs us to treat, process and dispose of the septage as well as the sludge generated by it.

Disposal Control:
This change in operations brought the septage disposal problem under control immediately.  It eliminated the discharge violations by bringing the flow of it down to a more manageable level and allowed for the septage to receive proper treatment.  We have seen our septage flows go from a high of over 263,000 gallons a year to less than 122,000 gallons in 2005.  With the increased buildup in the outlying unsewered areas we will begin to see that flow numbers rise proportionately in the coming years.  This increase will put a strain on our continued ability to properly handle the septage, resulting in increased fees and expense to the plant to dispose of the additional material.