New lift station in Decatur to reduce load on sewer plant

DECATUR — During the extreme heavy rain event on Dec. 26, 2015, when more than 12 inches of rain fell in a two-day period, city officials discovered rain water getting into the sewer system. This causes the wastewater treatment plant to work at near capicity to treat water that normally would not need to be treated.

As this event was wrapping up, city workers discovered the lift station near Veterans Park was flooded, allowing additional storm water to enter the system.

The new lift station across from Veterans Park replaces one of the oldest lift stations in Decatur’s sewer system.

James Boston, city wastewater and water department director, and Bob Tharp, Decatur’s mayor, received approval from

the city council to replace this lift station.

“The biggest problem we solved with this new lift station was to reduce storm water from infiltration into the sewer system,” Tharp said. “With this new station, we can reduce the load on the sewer plant.”

The lift station was expected to be online in a few days.

Photo by Mike Eckels Work on the new lift station for the wastewater treatment plant on Arkansas 102, across from Decatur’s Veterans Park, was nearing completion July 22 and will go online as early as today.