NEW MARKET, Ala. (WHNT) — Cheering filled the Buckhorn High School on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t for a sporting event; it was New Market residents voicing their concerns over a proposed wastewater treatment facility.
“This won’t only affect these people and their neighborhood; it’s gonna affect everybody downstream,” a concerned resident said.
According to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Integra Water applied to renew a permit to build a wastewater facility on Winchester Road. Nearly 45 residents signed up to express their concerns to ADEM, and Buckhorn’s cafeteria was standing room only.
After being met with booing, Integra CEO John McDonald said the company wants to address New Market’s growth.
“Our goal is simple: to meet the growing needs of the New Market and Madison County community with a facility that is safe, environmentally responsible, and virtually invisible in its impact,” McDonald said.
While residents agree that structures need to improve as a result of population growth, they do not agree with the proposed location for the facility. Some said their backyard is just 400 feet away from the proposed location. They say the facility’s proximity to Flint River is even more concerning.
The permit application details that Integra Water plans to dump liquid waste into the Flint River.
“The flows in the river are significantly lower than what we think they’re estimating for,” Concerned Resident Cameron Craig said. “And so they’re assuming you can put more waste into the river than you actually can.”
Some pointed to Integra Water’s existing wastewater facility in Meridianville, saying samples from the Brier Fork test over ADEM’s E. coli limits, even bringing a sample along to the hearing.
“This is a sample I collected just yesterday. It was disgusting. It smelled. But we wanted to bring you an example,” The resident said. “The Flint is a beautiful and clear river enjoyed by thousands each year.”
As mentioned, residents say the Flint River supplies the grounds for several recreational activities enjoyed by the community, from kayaking to fishing to even annual baptisms performed by local churches. They believe the pollution from the facility would ruin those activities, which led one resident to plead with Integra’s CEO to explore other options.
“To the owner of Integra, there are other types of facilities you can build that do not do surface water discharge,” A New Market resident said. “This is not our only option, and it feels like it’s the bargain, basement-level, cheapest option, and it will impact our entire community.”
ADEM said they will respond to all comments and concerns offered at Tuesday’s hearing. The department does not have a timeline for when residents can hear a status update for the facility.
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