As part of the treatment process, lime residuals and filter backwash is discharged into the existing lime lagoon that is a repurposed rock quarry, according to the staff report. The lime lagoon has now exceeded its capacity and current removal process is not keeping up with the loading rate to the lagoon.

“It is overflowing,” said Scott Tadych, city public works director. “In the past four to five years, our water demand is up do to large industrial usage in town. That means we are using more lime. The lagoon has filled up faster than we can remove it.”

And when the filters are back washed from the plant it also discharges into the pond, adding to the problem.

“What this project does is get that water out of the pond and puts it into a holding tank and ultimately in to the sanitary sewer,” Tadych said.

The original bid for the backwash tank project was over budget, according to Acting City Manager Nathan Cahall. One bid was received when it was bid the second time and is within one percent of the engineer’s estimate.

The lime lagoon overflows have caused nuisance issues for the city adjacent property owners for several years, specifically the airport, where is it creeping toward the runway area, according to staff and Councilman Paul Horn.

“Once installed, it will start to reduce our lime sludge discharge into the lagoon which has been an ongoing process and problem for some time,” Cahall said.

While over time the lime sludge lagoon may get smaller with the help of the new tank, it will never be eliminated unless the city goes to completely different water treatment process, Tadych said.

Middletown has received a grant for $1,125,000 through the Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program for the project and will fund the remaining balance through the state revolving loan fund for water infrastructure. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2026