Dunkirk efforts seem to be working

DUNKIRK — The city’s continued efforts to reduce chloride at the wastewater treatment plant seem to be working.

Dunkirk Board of Works and Public Safety received an update Thursday on the plan to lower chloride levels in wastewater discharge.

Keeping the levels down is important for the city to stay in compliance with Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Because chloride cannot be treated with a chemical, its source must be identified and eliminated, which the city has been working on for the past few months.  

The plant had already increased pumping from once to twice daily in July, which seems to be helping.  

“Our results seem to be going down for our chloride,” said Dunkirk Mayor Jack Robbins. “They’re not down as low as they could be, but they’re down, they’re going in the right direction.”

Since then, two primary clarifiers have also been cleaned out, and more cleaning work is planned for the next few weeks. The sludge in the tanks may also have been contributing to the problem, said superintendent Larry Wright. The city will know more after additional testing is completed.

The board approved paying engineering firm Beam, Longest & Neff $9,700 for their consultation on the chloride problem.

In other business, board members Dan Watson, Lisa Street and Robbins:

•Signed contracts with Tristan Niblick and Aaron Wilson, who were recently hired as police officers.  

•Learned that the water department will be hiring after the resignation of one of its employees.

•Heard that inmates from Jay County Jail have been repainting fire hydrants in the city.

•Were informed that Robbins is looking into placing veterans’ flags downtown.

•Heard that two police vehicles are undergoing repairs.