De-sludging of digesters at the city of Wheeling's Water Pollution Control Plant in Center Wheeling is underway. The effort is expected to improve the sewage odor issues that have plagued the facility in recent years. (Photo by Eric Ayres)

WHEELING – Work is underway to clean digesters at Wheeling’s Water Pollution Control Plant – a project that is expected to improve nagging sewage odor issues that have wafted into the neighborhoods within sniffing distance of the facility in the south end of Center Wheeling.

A considerable amount of improvements to the city’s sewage system – including a significant amount of work at the wastewater treatment plant – are planned as part of an overall $43.85 million investment being financed through 30-year bonds issued last year. The city implemented 38-percent water and sewer rate increases in order to generate the money needed to pay for prioritized lists of major water and sewer system improvements.

Last August, the city awarded contracts for digester cleaning, inspection, repair and valve replacement at the wastewater treatment facility. Grae-Con Construction Inc. of Steubenville was awarded a contract in the amount of $1,330,630 for valve replacement and Mobile Solid Solutions of Somerset, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $332,250 contract for digester cleaning, removing accumulated sludge that has been attributed to the smelly situation.

This week, Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron reported that work has been proceeding on the digester cleaning.

“Sludge removal at the wastewater treatment plant, thankfully, has begun,” he said. “It’s about 30 percent complete. As you know, that problem has created the odor problem that has occurred at the wastewater treatment plant for the last year or so. So that project is moving forward.”

About one third of the sludge has been removed from the digesters, Herron said, indicating that cleaning and the valve replacement project are expected to take place over the course of the next several weeks.

“It’s about 30 percent complete as far as removing sludge from the digesters,” the city manager said. “There are countless valves that have to be replaced. That work will be done, and then the digesters will be put back in service probably sometime this summer. So we’re pleased that that project is moving forward as expeditiously as we possibly could.”

Officials explained that digesters at the municipal sewage treatment plant typically need to be cleaned out every 10 to 15 years. The city has had issues with being able to empty them, and it has been at least 15 years since the digesters at the plant have had a thorough cleaning, Herron noted when the contracts were awarded last year.

Full digesters have contributed to the odor that has been observed in the area of neighboring Lowe’s Home Improvement store, at other nearby residential and business locations and even on the south end of Wheeling Island when the wind is right and the odor is particularly pungent.

Although a sewage treatment plant will always have some unpleasant odors, the de-sludging and other facility improvements are expected to make the situation much more manageable, officials have noted.

In April of 2024, Wheeling’s Water Pollution Control Plant sustained a significant amount of damage as a result of heavy rains and flooding that resulted in a federal disaster being declared. In light of this declaration, reimbursement for the cost of repairs to damage sustained during those weather events are expected to be funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Wheeling officials have estimated that about 30 percent of the repairs that need to be performed at the city’s wastewater treatment plant are likely to be reimbursed through FEMA. Other improvements are being paid through the water and sewer bonds.