TOMAHAWK CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY EXPANSION

The Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility was originally constructed in 1955 and has expanded over the years to treat wastewater flows from parts of Leawood, Overland Park, Olathe and Prairie Village. With the growth in population, the current facility is not able to handle all of the increased flow.  The current strategy for dealing with the increase has been to send about 60% of the incoming flow to Kansas City, MO and treat the remaining 40%.

 

Three primary things make this less sustainable in the future as

1. Kansas City is also facing significant improvements to their infrastructure leading to a rate increases. 

2. At the same time, the Environmental Protection Agency and Kansas Department of Health and Environment are requiring stricter limits on our discharge for things such as ammonia, nitrogen, and phosphorus. 

3. Many assets at the Facility are at the end of their useful life and replacement of some sort is needed.

 

Seeking an effective solution to treating the wastewater, JCW hired consultants to study alternatives for the treatment facility over the next 25 years.  A new facility expansion to treat all flows was selected as the preferred alternative because it will:

• Provide the most cost-effective, long-term solutions for customers

• Improve water quality using the latest, proven technologies

• Preserve the high quality of life enjoyed by Johnson County residents

 

The construction to expand the facility is scheduled to start in April 2018 with the major work to be completed 2022.