At our March 18, 2024 meeting at A&W West End Grill, Rotarian Paul Herzig introduced Bill Carpenter, Sewer Operator for Coudersport Borough.

Bill is an award-winning Certified Operator in the State of Pennsylvania and said that he originally spoke with our Rotary Club in 1971.

Our old sewage plant was built in 1968 and was upgraded in 2001. Bill explained that there are many regulations from DEP and that our system uses a laboratory accredited by the state. The plant is manned every day of the year.

Coudersport has a biological system. Raw sewage goes through an oxidation ditch, where bacteria and protozoa feed on it. Then it goes to settling tanks, where solids go below water. A clear effluent goes
through purifiers to a UV ditch where 40 UV bulbs maim the bacteria so they can’t reproduce. Bill said clean water comes out. It is required to be 85% pure but ours is 99%. You could drink the effluent. It has a high oxygen content when it goes into the river, which helps fish in the summertime. During drought, sometimes as many as 250 trout were seen in the effluent pool to get oxygen.

The sewer Board also takes care of over 20 miles of the collection system, which was recently expanded to Sweden Valley. Bill said that if there is any digging, including your own if greater than 2 feet in your yard, please call to be tested for underground lines.

Sometimes lines get clogged. The main causes are tree roots, and “flushable wipes” which get caught in the screens. They biodegrade but much too slowly. Don’t flush them! and household grease.

Thank you Bill for your informative and interesting presentation!