A groundbreaking event was held on June 3, at 10:30 a.m. to recognize the construction of a new 2 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant that will serve northern Kansas City in the Nashua area. The event will be at the site of the existing Rocky Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant, 500 N.E. 132^nd St.

This plant will replace an existing plant constructed in the mid-1970s which has a capacity of 750,000 gallons per day. The new plant can be expanded to a treatment capacity of 4 million gallons per day. Construction recently began on this $10 million project which is scheduled for completion in November 2005.

Mayor Kay Barnes and Councilman John Fairfield attended the groundbreaking and discussed how the expansion of this plant would increase capacity from 750,000 gallons per day to 2 million gallons per day, with the capacity of expansion to treat 4 million gallons per day.  This construction will also allow for extended development in popular area of the city

"This is a growing part of the city and Clay County. The construction of the new plant will ensure that the department can meet the needs now and in the future for residents," said Jim Mellem, assistant director of the Engineering Business Unit in the Water Services Department. “It also will comply with increasing wastewater treatment regulations and maintain the department’s commitment to protect public health and the environment.”

The new plant will include an influent pump station, headworks building with screening and grit removal, two aeration basins, aeration blower building, two secondary clarifiers, effluent flume, and process water pump station. Existing plant facilities will be converted to digesters in conjunction with construction of the new plant.