Waste Water System Impacted By Landfill Closure

FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) – After reaching capacity, the Florence landfill closed but city officials soon realized long-term effects on other city systems might start to creep up.

 Water gets filtered at the Florence waste water plant in order to get rid of all the solids that make it into the sewer system.

“When the landfill closed, they were kinda left out there by themselves,” said Florence Spokesman, Phil Stevenson.

With nowhere to put the garbage for a few months, the trash piled up.

So city officials drafted a transfer contract.

“This is one that caught us a little off guard,” said Stevenson.

Waste Connections won a bid to take the garbage across state lines.  It’s the same company that hauls residential trash for the landfill.

As part of the contract, Waste Connections picks up the filtered debris only when they are called.  City officials call this scenario an unpredicted consequence of the landfill closing, and there could be more.

“It’s possible other things could pop up but if they do, we`re going to be a little more aware and we`ll be able to take care of it, we have a precedent set,” said Stevenson.

City officials say a contract for this situation is in place for the next five years. 

It’s an added expense, but one officials say will be covered by the budget.