Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion

Project Milestone Reached: Substantial Completion

During the December 16 City Council Meeting, Council members approved the Certificate of Substantial Completion for the Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion project. This certificate formalizes that the project has been done in accordance with the design specifications, the facility is operational and it is ready for its intended use. A punch list including minor items remains and a percentage of the contract price will be withheld until those items are complete. 

The project began in 2022 and despite delays due to supply chain issues, Rice Lake Contracting adjusted plans to allow work to continue so it could be completed as soon as possible. The expansion increases the facility’s capacity from five million gallons per day to more than nine million, an increase of roughly 80 percent. The increase is expected to meet the needs of the community for the next 25 years and allows the City of Medford to connect to the treatment system providing a regional solution.

The Wastewater Treatment Facility Team has been busy learning how to operate the new technology and implementing practices to ensure operations at the facility have stayed on track throughout the project.

Help Holiday Guests Avoid Tickets! 

Winter Parking Restrictions in Effect

During the holiday season, please be sure to inform out-of-town guests about Owatonna’s winter parking restrictions to ensure they are parked in compliance with the ordinance. The easiest way to know where to park is by using the Winter Parking Map web app. 

Winter parking restrictions are enforced through March 31 regardless of the weather. It is the City’s objective to educate community members and seek voluntary compliance, followed by consistent enforcement for significantly more effective and efficient street maintenance operations.

Ice Safety and Aeration

Ice is never 100% safe

Cold days are ahead this winter which is ideal for ice to form on area lakes. But that doesn’t always mean the ice is safe. Whether at Lake Chase, Lake Kohlmier or one of southern Minnesota’s many lakes, be aware of ice conditions and, more importantly, changing conditions.

Each winter, the Parks & Recreation Department applies for a permit through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to operate an aeration system on Lake Kohlmier. DNR requirements include proof of public notice when aeration will begin, verification of liability insurance, posting thin ice signs four to six feet high, at least 100 feet apart around the open area and completing a written inspection report once every seven days.

Aeration increases oxygen levels in the lake to prevent winter fish kills. Oxygen is created through photosynthesis. Oxygen is needed by live plants, fish and bacteria that feed on decaying vegetation. When that level declines, fish can begin to suffocate. The aeration opens an area for sunlight to reach vegetation in the lake, replenishing the oxygen supply. Winterkill is a natural process and is only sometimes detrimental which is why the DNR issues permits for lakes that may benefit from aeration.

Winter weather is unpredictable, so being aware of changing conditions is important. Ice is never 100 percent safe. As a reminder from the DNR, your safety is your responsibility. Some safety tips to remember are as follows (source MN DNR website):

• Don’t judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature or whether the ice is covered by snow. Other factors are the depth of the water below, the size of the lake, the chemistry of the water, currents, distribution of the load on the ice and climatic conditions.
• Open water areas can become larger within just a few hours during warm, windy days, creating unpredictable and irregular thin ice areas.
• Ice seldom freezes uniformly; the DNR recommends checking ice thickness at least every 150 feet.
• New ice is usually stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not.
• Ice formed by overflowing water and currents is often dangerous.
• The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process. The extra weight also reduces how much additional weight the ice sheet can support. Ice near shorelines can be weaker than ice further out.
• Schools of fish or flocks of waterfowl can adversely affect the relative safety of ice. The movement of fish can bring warm water up from the bottom of the lake. This is sometimes the cause of vehicles breaking through ice.

Minimum recommended ice thickness guidelines for new, clear ice:

• 4 inches for Ice fishing or other activities on foot
• 5 to 7 inches for snowmobiles or ATVs
• 8 to 12 inches for cars or small pick-ups
• 12 to 15 inches for medium sized trucks 

DOUBLE these guidelines for white or “snow ice”.