August 9, 2023 |
Photo – Old Water Treatment Building in Saratoga – By Matt Copeland Bigfoot99
Saratoga officials are looking at using EPA funding to demolish the town’s nonfunctioning water treatment plant.
Cleaning up a vacant site that is polluted with harmful chemicals or other materials is often very costly. To combat the growing number of contaminated abandoned buildings in the country, the Environmental Protection Agency established the Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program. Brownfield grants help landowners pay to safely demolish hazardous structures and clean up the surrounding land.
In Saratoga, the water treatment plant, located on the corner of East Elm Avenue and South River Street, has been unused for 20 years. Built in 1935 to pull water from the North Platte River, the plant became obsolete in 2003 when underground springs were used to supply the town with water. Since that time, the water treatment plant has mainly been used for storage.
At last Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairwoman McCall Burau said Brownfield money could be used to determine if any contamination exists at the defunct water treatment plant. Following the study, Burau said the town could decide to tear the building down.
Burau said Mayor Chuck Davis gave her permission to investigate the Brownfield grant. The planning commission chairwoman said the town’s water treatment plant sits on desirable riverside land. Burau said after the building is demolished, the parcel could be used to improve the community.
Mayor Davis said he agreed with Burau that the water treatment plant should be demolished. The mayor said the structure is beyond repair and vulnerable to flooding.
Mayor Davis said the adjacent building would need to be demolished as well. The structure was the former town police station and is now the offices of the sewer department. The mayor said a large water main between the former police station and water treatment plant makes isolating one building from the other very difficult.
Mayor Davis said the age of the structures makes it likely they contain asbestos.
Burau said the process is very early in development. The planning committee chairwoman said she will bring more information to future town council meetings.
