Council approves wastewater treatment plant

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005 | 8:44 a.m.

The Henderson City Council unanimously approved a permit Tuesday allowing the construction of a wastewater treatment facility along St. Rose Parkway near Paseo Verde despite the objections of people who own homes near that location.

The council approval of a project in the planning stages for more than five years followed a lengthy public hearing in which several residents wanted the city to reconsider its long-standing plans for the water reclamation facility on 20.7 acres on St. Rose Parkway between Kingston Road and Manhattan Road.

At a July meeting, the Henderson Planning Commission deadlocked 3-3 on whether to approve the permit opposed by Serene Country Estates residents who have expressed concerns about potential odors, noise and it being unsightly. Residents are worried about lowered property values and the ability to sell their homes.

All the treatment is contained within pipes and buildings and won't emit an odor, city officials said.

They also noted that Henderson bought extra land to serve as a buffer between the plant and the neighborhood. Henderson also is lowering the plant by six feet to help screen its buildings from view of nearby residences. There also will be landscaped berms encircling the site to conceal the buildings from the neighborhood, officials said.

The Southwest Water Reclamation Facility will turn wastewater into reclaimed water used for irrigation of golf courses and public landscape areas.

Construction is expected to begin in November 2006 with the operation to begin in early 2009, officials said.