Feb 20 2008
Artesian Utility Development, Inc., a subsidiary of Artesian Resources Corporation, has completed the preliminary engineering and design work on a regional wastewater treatment and disposal facility that will provide service for up to 40,000 homes in the northern Sussex County area.
Artesian's Sussex Regional Water Recharge Facility will encompass a 75- acre treatment site and approximately 1,700 acres of farmland preservation land, where treated wastewater will be disposed of through spray irrigation.
Artesian was granted conditional use approval by Sussex County Council to construct a facility that will take wastewater from off-site sources, pending favorable testing of soils. Preliminary evaluation of the disposal area has indicated the facility could accommodate 6-12 million gallons per day.
"This facility is strategically situated to provide service to the growing population in the Georgetown, Ellendale and Milton area, as well as neighboring municipal systems," said John Thaeder, Artesian vice president of operations. "Through economies of scale, we will be capable of providing wastewater service at a reasonable cost to this region."
Sussex County Council also granted approval for the Artesian plant to serve the Elizabethtown subdivision of approximately 4,000 homes and commercial areas. In addition, Artesian has recently obtained Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCNs) to provide wastewater services to seven additional projects comprising approximately 3,000 units. The facility will also be capable of offering wastewater services to local municipalities.
Artesian expects to begin construction by early 2009, and begin operating the regional wastewater facility by mid-2009.