$1.6 million Bryan wastewater renovation could bring relief to nearby residents

Big changes are coming to a pretty smelly spot in Bryan.

Work is getting going on $1.6 million in renovations to the Burton Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Construction equipment started rolling into the site which is near the University Park Dog Park in College Station. A digester tank that handles solid waste and sludge will be cleaned out and improved. A new aeration system is being added after that which should help deal with smells.

"We think there's going to be good benefit to the city and our neighbors by reducing some of the off\-site odors. Also makes it a little bit easier wastewater for the treatment plant to treat," said Mark Jurica, Bryan Treatment and Compliance Manager.

The digester being worked on has been out of service for about a year. Contractors will be accessing the tank through ports. They'll put in hoses to vacuum out the sludge. After that the lid will be taken off. The treatment plant has had the dirty job of cleaning water for 70 years. In recent decades development including homes, duplexes and apartments have been built nearby. It's also become a noticeable neighbor for homes on the College Station border.

"It is the smell. I think it just depends on which was the wind is blowing," said Magen Parsley, who is a mom in College Station

She has lived near the plant for almost two years and was excited to hear Bryan is doing some treatment plant renovations.

"That would be amazing. I think that will help this overall neighborhood a lot," she said.

"By doing this process, we're really hopefully that we're going to have a much more efficient treatment process for this plant," said Jurica.

"I think it's a really good idea that they are fixing it up," said Jeremiah Lenford, another College Station resident who lives nearby.

"It’s kind of like you walk outside and it's just like 'Ugh.' It smells like rotten eggs and like old baby diapers. It’s like horrible," he added.

"There's a lot of times it is pretty bad," said Parsley.

The cleaning work is expected to take at least six weeks. The sludge and solid waste being collected will be disposed off-site.

The City of Bryan also released this press release about the work:

Maintenance of the Burton Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 300 Park Road in Bryan will begin December 5th. Construction is set to convert the facility’s anaerobic digester, a process unit used to manage waste solids, to an aerobic system. This conversion will increase efficiency and ensure the City is able to continue providing the proper treatment of wastewater for citizens serviced by the plant. Throughout the month of December, contractors will remove the contained waste from the digester for offsite disposal using transport tanker trucks. Residents may experience increased traffic in the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant, including Spring Loop and Autumn Circle, as contractors and their crews utilize these residential roadways for completion of the work. Offsite odors and construction noise may also be experienced as part of this project due to the nature of the work being completed. Please note a crane will be visible from varying parts of the community. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been formally notified in compliance with state law. For additional information, please contact our Public Works Department at 979.209.5900.