The Pella City Council started discussing significant improvements to the city’s Wastewater Treatment Facility at Policy and Planning following regular business Tuesday.

Assistant City Administrator Corey Goodenow tells KRLS News the proposed project was reviewed with engineers from Fox Engineering. According to city staff, the need for upgrades at the facility was determined after the Iowa DNR issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, with the renovations required for future renewal. Council talked about requirements and what steps are next. When the city budgeted for the upgrades this past spring, they projected it would cost up to $4.9 million over several years. Additionally, council passed the first of several annual rate increases on the city’s wastewater rate to finance the renovation this past spring.