Delaware City, Artesian Sign Wastewater Agreement
The town of Georgetown, Del., and Artesian Resources Corp. have finalized a wastewater service agreement establishing a long-term arrangement that will meet the future wastewater treatment and disposal needs in Georgetown's growth and annexation areas, according to a July 16 press release.
Artesian will provide up to 1 million gallons per day of wastewater capacity for the town within the next 10 years. The company will receive untreated wastewater effluent from properties located within Georgetown's current and future annexation and growth areas.
Georgetown will benefit from economies of scale by using Artesian's North Sussex Regional Water Recharge facility, which is expected to be operational by mid-2009. Located northwest of Milton, it will encompass a 75-acre treatment site and approximately 1,700 acres of farm preservation land, where treated wastewater will be disposed of through spray irrigation. The facility will have the capacity to provide wastewater service for up to 40,000 homes in the northern Sussex County area.
The company will be responsible for capital improvements required for the treatment, storage, and disposal of wastewater effluent from Georgetown's Sand Hill Pump station, as well as design, construction, and maintenance of the regional wastewater facility, a force main interconnection, all meters, and piping necessary to receive Georgetown's effluent flow.
The town will retain ownership of its existing water and wastewater facilities and will continue to operate those facilities. Its day-to-day operations will not require any personnel adjustments.
Artesian Resources Corp. operates as the holding company of eight wholly-owned subsidiaries offering water and wastewater services. Artesian Water Company, the principal subsidiary, is the oldest and largest investor-owned public water utility on the Delmarva Peninsula, and has been providing water service since 1905.