Borough attempting to address Talkeetna sewer's fecal coliform problem

Last year, the Talkeetna sewage treatment system was cited for exceeding allowable levels of fecal coliform in treated water. Now, the Mat-Su Borough is taking steps that it hopes will improve the lagoon’s performance.

Public Works Director Terry Dolan believes that the primary causes for the fecal coliform levels in water flowing out of the lagoons are duckweed and grease on the surface of the water. Dolan says that the “rotten egg” smell that some East Talkeetna residents reported last year indicates a lack of oxygen in the system, which could be caused when the gas is unable to penetrate the surface. He adds that personnel were on-site Thursday to conduct another round of cleaning on the surface of the lagoons.

In addition, the borough has used equipment to remove sludge build-up at the bottom of the lagoons. Efforts to re-vegetate the wetlands where the treated water flows out have also been made, and will likely resume next spring. Terry Dolan says water is slowly being released into the wetlands, and that the system will be allowed to settle for about a week before discharge from the lagoon begins.