Lewes BPW considers new wastewater plant options

The Lewes Board of Public Works has announced two options for a wastewater treatment plant after Rehoboth Beach rejected a three-way partnership with Sussex County that would have allowed Lewes to use its outfall.

The county would have paid Rehoboth Beach $20 million to buy 5 million gallons of capacity.

The BPW held a public workshop March 18, to discuss the options going forward. Both involve a partnership with the county at its Wolfe Neck facility.

Both options would still have effluent discharged into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. They would each involve tertiary treatment at Wolfe Neck.

BPW would have to reconfigure its two main pump stations in town under both options. 

Tom Panetta, BPW president, said the first option, discharging into the canal at the existing location near the old railroad swing bridge, would cost an estimated $10.5 million. He said it would have the fewest permitting issues, because it is already allowed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Panetta said the second two, discharging at a point closer to the Wolfe Neck facility, would cost an estimated $3.5 million, but require permit modifications. He said it is a lower cost because effluent would not have to be pumped back to the existing discharge point.

“We’ve passed a terms sheet to the county, the county is looking at it, and it will be one of the next steps to finalize an agreement and cost-splitting. Who’s going to pay for what,” Panetta said.

Hans Medlarz, a consulting engineer for the county, said studies are being done to determine the best discharge location based on the impact to the environment.

Panetta said the discharge options would add 4.5 million gallons to the canal per day, which he said would not be significant. 

He said BPW would average about 1.75 million gallons per day, and the rest would come from the county.

Panetta said the BPW had considered a new ocean outfall near Wolfe Neck, but the cost would be prohibitive.

BPW had been moving forward with a third option, constructed wetlands in the Wolfe Neck area, but a significant archeological find in September 2023 scuttled that option and forced them to look at regional solutions.

Panetta said once a treatment facility is complete, the existing wastewater plant on American Legion Road will be demolished and the land restored. He said nothing will be built on that property, which is co-owned by BPW and the city.

The BPW has discussion of the wastewater treatment plant on the agenda for its regular meeting at 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 26, at city hall.