Board will consider effluent project

The city’s Water Policy Advisory Committee will meet today to consider an effluent reuse pipeline project and the construction of a wind farm.

The committee will be asked to recommend authorization to begin the first phase of the effluent reuse pipeline project, according to City Commissioner and Mayor Pro-tem Randy Crowder.

The $16 million project will use effluent water from Clovis Wastewater Treatment Plant for dust control and irrigation of city property.

“We’re going to put in purple fire hydrant and sell (the water) for construction dust control, we're going to run a pipe to the fairgrounds, a pipe to the college, a pipe to the parks, a pipe to the schools,” Crowder said. “We’re going to try and take care of everything we can.”

The project will save the city about 670 million gallons of water annually, according to officials.

Crowder said the committee will also be asked to recommend whether the commission continues to look into the cost of wind generators for a potential wind farm.

The city is considering building three wind towers to supply the city with power, and sell the excess. Crowder said the city uses about 1.1 megawatts a year at a cost of about $850,000.

The city commission asked the water committee to investigate the feasibility of placing three $1.5 million wind towers in the city.

He said the three generators could produce more than enough to power the city.

Meetings watch

• What: Water Policy Advisory Board

• When: 9 a.m. today

• Where: Bert Cabiness Government Center