Century Sewer Plant Needs Biosolid Removal; Filters Are Out Of Service

September 23, 2019

The Century Wastewater Treatment Facility needs biosolids and sludge removed to remain compliant with state requirements, and necessary filters are out of service.

Sewage Sludge/Biosolids Removal

According to town documents, the level of biosolids and sewage sludge are too high, and the town’s current disposal method using drying bed is inadequate to remedy the problem.

The Century treatment facility has three drying beds, but one is out of service and in need of significant repairs estimated at $25,000. Somewhere around 2006, the town purchased a belt press – which essentially squeezes the liquid out of the sludge — but it has been out of service for several years and repair parts are no longer available.

The town has a tanker truck that could be used to haul the sludge away, but it is not in operating order. It’s a 1987 Peterbilt that pulls a 1970’s era tanker trailer that holds about 5,000 gallons. It is estimated it would cost $7,000 for truck repairs and an inspection on the structural integrity of the tank.

The town contacted three companies for quotes to remove the sludge:

  • Johnson Septic declined to quote.
  • Boyett’s in Pensacola quoted $1,500 per 4,000 gallon tanker load, including a $405 ECUA disposal fee, which equates to 37.5 cents per gallon.
  • Green South Solutions in Florala, AL, quoted a turnkey solution at $950 per $6,500 gallon tanker load, or 14.6 center per gallon. The price includes all equipment, personal, disposal permits and insurance to remove the excess biosolids.

The town council will consider awarding the contract to Green South Solutions to remove 10 loads of biosolids/sludge for $9,500 total.

Wastewater Filters

The town council will also consider awarding a $1,800 contract to Aqua-Aerobic Solutions to evaluate the effluent filters at the wastewater treatment plant. The filters, according to town documents, have been out of service for several years due to the controls being submerged.

The filters, manufactured by Aqua-Aerobic Solutions, were installed in 2002 and 2007.

Pictured: The Century Wastewater Treatment Facility. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

29 Responses to “Century Sewer Plant Needs Biosolid Removal; Filters Are Out Of Service”

  1. MR REALITY on September 26th, 2019 3:33 am

    it soulds like “century” is a scam and a sham….We pay all their bills in escambia county ANYWAYS or they just dont do anything (like at the treatment plant)…The people who have run this town need to be arrested.

  2. M in Bratt on September 24th, 2019 6:06 pm

    The bad news is, they can’t blame this one on Wally

  3. Concerned Down Stream Citizen on September 24th, 2019 6:47 am

    The federal DEP has been officially notified. Its website makes it easy to report violations. Florida DEP and Health Department websites are not so easy. It is very difficult navigating their sites in an effort to find information on who in those organizations is responsible for sewage treatment plant inspection and certifications, or in reporting public concerns. Maybe someone who works at these Florida departments will read this story and take action to notify the public that Century’s treated waste water either meets proper standards or doesn’t at the outflow into the Escambia River.

  4. Century person on September 23rd, 2019 9:13 pm

    I live here all my life and century is a joke can’t wait to move out of century the whole city hall need to be replaced start over with some one that knows what they are doing .maybe I need to run for mayor because I don’t care who I piss off i m straight forward with stuff and don’t care about buddy system just get the town straightened out

  5. BIG JOHN on September 23rd, 2019 8:59 pm

    SO WHAT IS NEXT ??? HOW LONG BEFORE SOMEONE GO’S JAIL. WHAT A MES TOS IS IN !!!

  6. Football Mom on September 23rd, 2019 7:56 pm

    Poohbear……sweetie, drugs and murder??????? Try picking something else cuz Century has plenty of that too…….js

  7. chris on September 23rd, 2019 7:04 pm

    ” if you don’t live in Century, then it’s NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS” That’s just how Century wants to keep it. no prying eyes or investigators snooping around.

  8. Laughing on September 23rd, 2019 6:11 pm

    Awww crap Sunny.
    Take a pill.

  9. straightshooter on September 23rd, 2019 5:16 pm

    Oversight, You are correct on where the out of compliance discharge is going. Down stream in Escambia River. Has been for sometime.

  10. Sunny on September 23rd, 2019 3:06 pm

    I live in Molino and IT IS MY BUSINESS. Everything that goes on in Escambia County IS MY BUSINESS. Century should allow Flomaton Alabama to take them in, so Gov. Kaye Ivey can help you out. I’d like to see that so Escambia County Florida can be done with you.

    My tax dollars are helping to support that crappy government North of here, and I’m not happy about it.

    Century Officials are going around the bowl and down the hole.

  11. Pensacola Resident on September 23rd, 2019 12:52 pm

    “You know if you don’t live in Century, then it’s NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS what goes on here”

    I live in Pensacola and IT IS MY BUSINESS. If Century’s sewer plant is malfunctioning, it dumps into the Escambia River, and we’re all downstream of that crap floating down the river. They just closed Pensacola Beach because of crap bacteria…is that related? Hmmm.

    And it’s my tax money that is helping to support that crap play government.

    It is my business, and everyone’s business. Get your head out of the sand. In Century, it’s probably polluted.

  12. Alan on September 23rd, 2019 11:55 am

    Citizens of Century, rise up and disincorporate. Nothing will get worse and a lot of things will probably get better.

  13. paul on September 23rd, 2019 11:12 am

    Century – either daily or weekly Century’s problems are reported on – crime, corruption, lack of leadership, mismanagement – damn! CLEAN HOUSE AND START OVER.

  14. Don on September 23rd, 2019 10:55 am

    Is the State never going to step in and help these people and remove all the ones in charge that don’t do there jobs and most likely don’t know how!!

  15. poohbear on September 23rd, 2019 10:53 am

    You know if you don’t live in Century, then it’s NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS what goes on here. Clean up your own back yard of drugs and murder.

  16. Chelleepea on September 23rd, 2019 10:40 am

    Another example of mismanagement . …..it has been going on for decades. The problems keep piling up until it comes to a head and then it cost more or can’t get parts anymore. One wonders where all the grant/revenue money went if nothing ever got fixed when it needed to be fixed and we’re still 3 million in debt. Sigh…….we can’t keep kicking the can down the road.

  17. Me on September 23rd, 2019 10:32 am

    I feel really, really badly for the people who are stuck in Century and can’t afford to move away.

  18. molino jim on September 23rd, 2019 9:49 am

    Has the old song goes– turn out the lights the party’s over.

  19. retired on September 23rd, 2019 9:14 am

    Sounds like the trip money (mayor’s trip to mayor conferance, airplane tickets, splash pad ( oh sorry they have to wash off sewage some where).

  20. tg on September 23rd, 2019 9:12 am

    Time has passed to flush the camode on Century.

  21. David on September 23rd, 2019 8:36 am

    The build up and sludge is Hawkins and the uneducated, check writing,self serving board and sick leadership..or lack there of.
    I guess the PR splash pad would take the mirror as off the good citizens who were duped

  22. Greg on September 23rd, 2019 8:30 am

    Here is some free advice. Get the belt press or drying beds repaired and make the sludge dewatering system operable. You can’t control solids in the wastewater plant long term using a single tanker truck.

  23. ensley boy on September 23rd, 2019 7:44 am

    Hope the company that does the work knows to get paid upfront.

  24. Anne on September 23rd, 2019 7:25 am

    One more nail in the coffin of the Town of Century.
    Maintenance is a high order protector of assets and must be done to protect the Citizens Investments.
    Does ANYBODY who is in control of things there actually have any Working Knowledge of Any-Dang-Thing?
    God Help the average Citizens in this little crumbling town.

  25. Oversight on September 23rd, 2019 6:58 am

    “…out of service for several years…” And this problem has be going on for just exactly how long? So the treatment plant is not in compliance. Does this mean the town has been discharging its biosolids and sludge into the Escambia River? Where is FDEP and the EPA?

  26. Dave on September 23rd, 2019 6:52 am

    Who is in charge of maintaining this operation? Was it the gas superintendant? Almost daily N.E. gives us another look at the sad affairs of Century. This is really no different than the gas issue or the many other unpaid bills and lack of accountability consistent with the town government. It appears that for decades the Mayors and council members have used the town funds for their own gain and pleasure. The city should beg Escambia county, The City of Pensacola, Boyettes or someone to loan them a pump out truck to do this. Yes it would be slow process with a small truck but we can have the Mayor and council members take turns driving the truck. A borrowed truck and drivers we already pay to do nothing. At least we could see our tax dollars at work for once.

  27. Tom on September 23rd, 2019 6:32 am

    Who you gone call, manager then mayor or the mayor then manager? Who makes the call ?

  28. Gman on September 23rd, 2019 5:53 am

    Poor town of Century just cant catch a break. Does anything work in this town?

  29. Big Steve on September 23rd, 2019 1:35 am

    The crap is piling up and it’s not at city Hall.