Excessive levels of zinc in the borough's sewer sludge, and how to find out where it is coming from, were the main topics discussed at Slatington's Borough Authority meeting July 28.

Sewer plant operator Stefan Myers said he recently sent out an email about the zinc testing results at the sewer plant, which show that the levels are "very high." He noted that last July, the effluent (liquid) tested at 0.05, but now the sludge, "even the primary clarifier," is testing over 20 milligrams per liter."That's a lot," he said."What happens with the zinc level?" asked Vice Chairman Laurie Dart-Schnaufer, "(and) what do you have to do to get that fixed or corrected?""You're going to have to probably put out composite samplers throughout the collection system and find out where it's coming from, to start," Myers said."You're never going to correct it with chemicals. ... There really is no treatment."Engineer Ted Stevenson said, "Once it's there, you're not going to get rid of it."Assistant secretary Scott Schuckert clarified that Myers was suggesting samples be taken at various points so it can be isolated at what part of the loop the zinc is entering the system.Myers said it could be a complicated process because no one knows whether the zinc enters the system continuously or is just "a slug here and there."He said he has no idea how much it will cost, but that an outside company would need to be hired.Dart-Schnaufer asked for clarification of whether or not the process constitutes a maintenance issue or an upgrade. Once solicitor Ed Healy said he believed it is an operation issue, Dart-Schnaufer said the decision of how to pursue it rests with the borough council.However, members did suggest the samplings first locate if the zinc is coming into the system from Slatington, Walnutport or Washington Township because then it should fall upon that particular municipality to discover where exactly it is coming from. The sludge gets hauled to Hazleton.There have been no citations for the zinc levels because it is not a violation, borough Manager Kevin Deppe said.In other news, Healy said an extension has been granted by the DCED until June 30, 2015, regarding an H2O grant that the authority has been using to make improvements to the sewer plant over the past several years.Healy reminded everyone that the residual funds, calculated to be $165,077.29, need to be used for improvements, rather than maintenance, but asking the state financing authority whether or not another project can be added to the list of approved projects might be worth pursuing.