In general, however, effluent from treatment plants in Oregon and the rest of the West have a larger temperature impact due to usually smaller stream size and background temperatures that are fairly high to start with. Larry Blanchard, water reclamation division construction manager for the City of Medford, said the city is in the process of renewing its sewage treatment permit with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. He said the city's collaborative effort with OSU will help ensure standards are met for permit renewal. Also, it will give the city a long-range plan to safely and effectively deal with effluent. In the winter, effluent handling is no problem.
Temperatures are cool and rains dilute the effluent.
In the summer, Medford sludge is hauled to farm fields. But times are changing. Medford is growing fast. DEQ is tightening restrictions. The city's project with Roseberg and OSU provides insurance for the long haul.