AUDIO: Price to turn wet muck to ash rising for Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The estimated price tag on the latest big-ticket project at Kalamazoo’s wastewater plant has just gone up again.

The city has been scrambling to find an alternative to landfilling the noxious sludge that comes from the plant. The price of that has tripled over the past four years.

They came up with an alternative called “Dryer ER,” which reduces the smelly wet muck to ash.

When Utility Director Jim Baker came to the commission with the project in February, he estimated the cost would be around $130-to-150 million.

He reported last night that the estimated cost has shot up since then.

Baker says material costs are one factor.

Baker says it still makes sense to move forward with the project, but financing will be more of a challenge and the payback time will be greatly expanded from the 10 years he estimated in February.

He says it’s still cheaper than what they are doing now, which is hauling the sludge to a landfill, especially if those prices continue to climb like they have.

Baker says the city will hold a town hall to discuss the project, and get public feedback next week. The town hall will start at 6 p.m. at Mt. Zion Church on Tuesday.