ECHO — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is seeking public comment on the city of Echo’s proposal for a new water quality permit for its wastewater treatment facility.

The state environmental agency issued the notice Monday, Oct. 18. According to the document, DEQ intends to issue Echo a new water quality permit so it can manage domestic wastewater from the community in evaporative lagoons and discharge seasonally to the Stanfield wastewater treatment plant. Part of the review process is an opportunity for public comment.

Echo operates a wastewater treatment facility at 33245 Bowman Road that consists of three wastewater stabilization lagoons undergoing a solids removal and upgrade project to add aeration. The city discharges its treated wastewater to the Umatilla River under a national pollution permit.

The city needs a new Water Pollution Control Facilities permit because once the upgrades are complete, the city will send winter discharge via pressurized pipeline to the city of Stanfield under an agreement between the two cities.

Echo will terminate the existing wastewater permit and cease direct discharge to the Umatilla River. The facility is designed to serve a population of 885 people and receives domestic wastewater from residential sources and commercial establishments.

The DEQ last inspected Echo’s facility on Aug. 24, via virtual inspection and issued a warning letter for failure to submit several required reports on time.

The proposed permit prohibits discharge to waters of the state and requires the city to have a DEQ certified operator supervise wastewater treatment and disposal operations.

According to the notice, the DEQ will hold a public hearing if it receives a written request for one within 14 days of mailing or posting the public notice from at least 10 people or from an organization representing at least 10 people.

The department will consider and respond to all comments received and may modify the proposed permit based on comments. DEQ gives equal weight to written and oral comments.

You may submit your comments by mail, fax or email to:

Patty Isaak

Oregon DEQ

800 S.E. Emigrant Ave., Suite 330

Pendleton, OR 97801

Fax: 541-278-0168

Email: patty.isaak@deq.state.or.us

All comments are due Nov. 23 by 5 p.m. Comments also become part of the public record.

To view information about this proposed permit, including the application, permit fact sheet and underlying documents, contact Isaak, a DEQ permit coordinator, to make an appointment to review the documents in person.

The DEQ can provide documents in an alternate format or in a language other than English. Call the DEQ at 800-452-4011 or email deqinfo@deq.state.or.us for more information.