REHOBOTH BEACH, DE -- City leaders are set to consider a 20 million dollar proposal for a three-way regional wastewater partnership at Friday's commissioner meeting.
The proposed partnership would hook the Wolfe Neck Regional Wastewater Facility up to the ocean outfall pipes along Rehoboth Beach's shores, disposing of treated wastewater from an expanded area around the city. This includes wastewater from regions such as Lewes or Wolfe Neck.
The city is offered 20 million dollars for the three-way partnership between Sussex County and the Lewes Board of Public Works. The offer also includes additional future funds for testing, modifications, and maintenance.
Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Suzanne Good said she worries the money doesn't make up for the potential risks.
"We'll rise from 1.5 million gallons a day approximately in January to 6.5 million gallons a day," Goode said. "The risks inherent in this, in increasing the flow to such a degree, is not worth the amount of money the county is offering."
Goode said, that in the summer, the city uses approximately 3.5 million gallons a day. According to Goode, the proposed 5 million extra gallons a day would quadruple usage in the offseason, and more than double it during the summer months.
The commissioner told WBOC that, in her opinion, 40 to 50 million dollars might be a more fair offer. Goode said this would better reflect the worth of that extra usage and the potential risks that come with increased use.
"There isn't a consensus as to whether things like algae blooms and other externalities of these ocean outfalls are a big problem, a small problem, or even a major problem," Goode said.
Christophe Tulou, Executive Director of the Center for the Inland Bays, told WBOC they think the partnership would be beneficial. Tulou said, at times, runoff from the wastewater at the Wolfe Neck facility pollutes the nearby bays.
"When you treat the water it comes out really clean, but it still has nutrients in it like nitrogen and phosphorous," Tulou said. "If they end up in our bays it creates all sorts of problems. It's why we've had such a struggle for thirty years trying to address the water pollution problems in the bays."
Tulou said that those excess nutrients can cause environmental risks such as too much algae growth, or fish kills within the bay populations.
"This solution of taking that wastewater and putting it offshore through the outfall is a huge benefit to all of us who care about the bays," Tulou said.
At a meeting on Friday, Feb. 21, commissioners voted 5-2 against the initiative. Most of the debate centered around the $20 million dollar offer from Sussex County and if it is enough.