(0:00) Monthly report from the Town of Afton. Administrator Violet Sanderson in studio (0:04) today. Joining her this time around is Josh Pevler.

He oversees the utilities as the (0:09) director for the Town of Afton as well. Appreciate you both coming in. Violet, (0:13) let’s start with you.

And we’ve been talking Fourth of July, of course, this morning, (0:16) and Town of Afton doing quite a bit tomorrow for Independence Day. (0:20) Yeah, we are, Duke. Thanks for having us, first of all.

Good morning to the listeners. I first (0:26) want to give a shout out and a thank you to everybody that participated in the Freedom (0:30) Festival that happened on Saturday last week. We had a good showing of people coming out, (0:36) and it was amazing.

We had a lot of people that helped us with that, helped it come to fruition, (0:42) and that was awesome. But as far as tomorrow and events coming to the Town of Afton, (0:47) so we do have the Heritage Hall of Fame inductees. That will happen at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning at (0:55) the Civic Center.

And we will have, sorry about that. And then we will have, there will be a (1:04) street market down by the fairgrounds from about 11 to 4. And then we will have the parade at 5. (1:11) And registration for the parade is currently available online. You can find that on any of (1:14) our social media outlets and on our website as well.

And then we’ve got the Search and Rescue (1:19) Ranch Rodeo that’s put on by the Star Valley Search and Rescue, which we always appreciate (1:23) them doing for us. That’s set to start at 7 p.m. And then the Town of Afton will be doing the (1:28) fireworks after that as soon as it gets dark. Perfect.

So it’s going to be a full day and a (1:33) lot going on in the Town of Afton for the 4th of July holiday. Of course, Violet Sanderson in (1:37) studio, Josh Puebler as well. So Violet, let’s roll right into what’s happening with the sewer (1:42) lagoon and waste dumping and things like that.

Let’s get your thoughts on the background on this (1:49) and what has been happening and what kind of took place to require some changes to be needed. (1:55) And then we’ll loop Josh in here and he’ll give us some of the technical aspects of the whole thing. (2:00) So just to kind of summarize some things, I know that there’s been stories in the paper (2:06) and just to dispel any of the concerns or rumors for the Afton Town residents, (2:11) we have thorough capacity and capability of our infrastructure currently.

We have our 20-year (2:17) expansion project underway. We have no concerns in terms of being able to serve the existing (2:22) residents of the Town of Afton or the growth that we have planned for the next 20 years. (2:27) The issues that came about over the last few weeks had to do with the town previously allowing (2:34) for septic dumping to come to the Town of Afton and our lagoon system.

We’ve been very vocal with (2:41) the commissioners in the previous commission and current commission of the county that (2:45) we will take it on as long as we’re able to, so long as it’s not affecting our system. (2:50) Well, within the last couple of months, we found that it was directly affecting our system and so (2:55) because of that, the Town of Afton ratified a cease on taking any county septic waste (3:01) into our lagoon system in the June council meeting. So that’s no longer happening.

(3:06) So now there’s obviously existing businesses that thrive from being able to do septic pumping and (3:16) dumping and so that affects their businesses, which we feel for them on that. They’re going (3:21) to have to find a different location to take that, but we have to do what is best for the Town of (3:26) Afton residents. That is where our priority lies and so that’s what we will continue to do.

(3:30) As far as some of the issues that we’ve had and what that looked like, I’m going to let (3:34) Josh touch on that because he’s the expert. It’s his system that he manages for us and (3:39) he does a fabulous job. Yeah, absolutely.

So Josh, let’s loop you in here. Give us (3:43) some background. Violet mentioned it started to cause some issues to the system.

So (3:47) exactly what did that look like? So just to kind of just start from the (3:53) beginning here just a little bit, on April 21st, 2025, we had a couple of events happen. (4:04) Our crews were on site and we noticed that our lagoon system was having some trouble and the (4:12) main line was actually blocked going into it and we had a spill out into the field above the sewer (4:19) lagoons. We quickly found a way to remedy that situation and we contacted Wyoming DEQ and visited (4:29) with them on the phone and we reported it a sanitary sewer overflow.

Wyoming DEQ calls it an (4:37) SSO. We reported with them. They came out on site and did an inspection.

We went through the (4:44) process and we were able to meet all of the cleanup process that they required. They have (4:50) since came back to our system and done a complete inspection and that event was completely crossed (4:56) off. So we’re at no time were we ever out of compliance, at no time were we in a situation (5:03) where we weren’t taking care of the Afton residence waste that goes down the system.

(5:11) The kind of the next part of this scenario that I just want the Afton residents and anybody that (5:17) lives in the town of Afton that’s listening to this to understand that that you know our system (5:23) works really well. It’s designed for the Afton residents. In the past couple of years we (5:31) we have put together a plan for a 20-year expansion on just the gross of the town of Afton (5:38) um because of that our system was designed for that.

Our system was not designed for the 20-year (5:46) growth for Lincoln County. Currently to my knowledge the town of Afton was was one of (5:53) the only systems that was taking on this septic dump material and and over the last couple of (6:02) months and and a lot of hard work and and research we’ve kind of determined that this (6:07) plug happened because of that um and and that was the reason that the town of Afton put this (6:15) cease and desist on the dumping. Gotcha so so has the plug been cleared then it sounds like (6:22) everything’s currently operating as it should right? Yep the plug the plug has been cleared (6:28) and we’re currently operating in the way that it should and and the citizens should not have (6:33) any concern about what’s happening with with their system.

One one quick point to make just to help (6:41) people understand a little bit is treatment begins at collection. The collection system which is (6:48) underneath the streets and and and serves all of our residents once somebody flushes the toilet (6:54) that’s when treatment begins. Our sewer lagoons is is approximately a mile below town and so as (7:02) our waste goes down through the system and and makes the various turns and flows for that length (7:07) of time everything for the most part is completely broken up and and the first part of the treatment (7:13) process has happened so as that goes into our sewer lagoons our sewer lagoons are designed to (7:18) finish that off and and take care of that problem.

The thing about the the septic dumping material (7:27) is their material goes into a septic tank and septic tanks are designed to have really good (7:33) digestion but they can only digest it to a certain point so each time somebody has their tank pumped (7:41) you know they’re pumping the stuff out of their tank that will not digest and it was being offloaded (7:47) you know and and and it’s it’s a huge problem the uh and and I kind of want to want to get out to the (7:55) county residents here some you know the the county currently was was permitting septic systems to (8:03) happen every day with with our growth and they didn’t have a plan to take care of that and and (8:10) Afton for a while was kind of meeting that obligation until this new light you know so I (8:16) urge the county residents to get a hold of their county commissioners and and the county needs to (8:22) figure out a plan to determine where their waste is going to go. So Violet it does sound like there (8:28) is going to be some sort of discussion taking place in the coming days right between some (8:33) municipalities in the county. So on July 8th there is a meeting that was called between all the (8:37) municipalities and the county commissioners to kind of sit down and discuss.

So the county did (8:42) over the last couple of years they were collecting data in regards to existing facilities that may (8:47) have the capability to take on septic. That evaluation wasn’t wasn’t that thorough in terms (8:54) of our system it was just kind of like well they’re already taking it so they’re good. So (8:59) which at the time we thought potentially we were but we were hoping that they were coming up with (9:04) a solution.

It does seem like with the evaluation copies of that that I have had an opportunity to (9:09) review which was done by CRS engineering which I believe is now Horrocks engineering. They (9:16) they did identify potentially to have a treatment a treatment area engineered for the town of Alpine. (9:26) Obviously that would be up to the town of Alpine to see if that works with their existing system (9:29) and how their treatment works and if that could help help alleviate some of that.

But I mean we (9:34) as the town of Afton you know we’ve always been you know our priority is to the residents of Afton (9:39) but we this is a community effort and I think we’re willing to be at the table to see what is (9:46) what can be done to address the problem for the county residents but not at the detriment of our (9:53) system to be able to serve our existing residents and the the growth we have planned for the next (9:57) 20 years for them. So so like I said we’ll be part of that meeting on the 8th. Josh myself and the (10:04) municipality representatives and the county commissioners.

So but yeah we basically just (10:09) wanted to come on today and help people understand in the town of Afton that you can still flush your (10:13) toilet there’s no problem. Like we didn’t want anybody to feel like oh what’s going on down there (10:18) and the other thing is you know if if people are familiar with the location of our sewer lagoons (10:22) you will see activity down there but that’s because our currently our 20-year expansion project is is (10:28) underway right now and was even before we kind of had these issues. So it’s just kind of the (10:33) timing was a little bit was a little bit coincidental I would say but just so so everybody (10:40) knows you know there’s no problem with us being able to serve the residents of Afton.

It was a (10:45) it became a problem when we started taking on additional septic and the county is the permitting (10:50) authority of that of septics throughout the county. They’re the ones that are permitting the septic (10:55) systems and so I do feel that they have a bit of responsibility in deciding how that’s going to be (11:00) treated whether you know it’s it’s something that they they plan for and help establish or (11:09) something you know anyways that’ll all come out in that meeting that we hopefully it’s a good (11:14) discussion on the 8th next week and we can move forward but I would you know as far as a call to (11:21) action I think it’s important that the county residents understand that currently today and (11:27) until there is a plan in place and potential engineering there’s no plan for septic to be (11:31) taken care of locally so some of these pumpers pumper companies that have been offloading in (11:36) our system are now traveling really far out of the community to get this stuff taken care of (11:41) which is potentially going to cost them a lot more money in the long run. Significant increase in cost (11:45) yes absolutely.

All right well Violet Sanderson the studio Afton town administrator, Josh Peebler (11:50) utilities director for the town of Afton as well. Anything else from either of you that you’d like (11:54) to mention on this? One thing that I do want to talk about just a little bit you know it’s (12:01) kind of the do’s and don’ts. I think I think that our citizens and and especially if you live (12:08) inside of a municipality and and you don’t have a septic tank that you need to maintain (12:13) we need to be aware of the things that we we do put down our toilets you know it’s kind of the (12:19) out of sight out of mind mentality.

There’s a there’s a lot of different products out there (12:26) as as far as wet wipes and you know things in of that nature there’s there’s a lot nowadays that (12:33) say flushable. Those things that you know are things that shouldn’t be put down the toilet. (12:42) Another big one is is feminine hygiene products you know we’re we’re able to flush those down (12:48) our toilet but what happens to that I don’t think people think think about that you know that that (12:54) stuff that that we have to either figure out a way how to separate it out or or enhance our (13:00) treatment process.

So just a little bit of awareness to everybody you know be be mindful of what you (13:08) put down your toilet. Things like grease and and and other things like that you know that that’s (13:15) all all processes and things that that don’t belong in that system. (13:21) Violet? I don’t have anything else to add in regards to the septic stuff if anybody has (13:26) specific questions in regards to where we’re at on our expansion project or any concerns (13:30) we are here you know all the time you can you can find us at the town hall and we (13:35) you know we always encourage people with concerns questions comments to give us a call.

Okay we’ll (13:41) look forward to seeing how things progress with this one after the 8th of July. In the meantime (13:46) enjoy the 4th of July. If I have just one second Duke just to give two other kind of updates I (13:51) think I had reported on these last last time I was in here but we do have the Adam Street water (13:56) project that’s going to be underway starting next week they’re going to start mobilization (13:59) and that replacement is going to take place between 5th and 6th Avenue so if the residents (14:04) of Adam Street between 5th and 6th Avenue hopefully they’re listening we will start (14:09) you know Josh is really good at communicating with the residents to help them understand what’s (14:12) going on there the contractors that we met with yesterday who were awarded the bid for that (14:17) project seem to be very responsible and and they’re going to be you know keeping in touch (14:23) with the neighbors down that way to help them understand what what’s happening when it’s when (14:27) it’s going to happen in the scheduling of that.

The other thing is that we did we did have our (14:32) opening schedule last Thursday for our improvements to the streets as I talked about (14:38) last month we were we’re really doing a lot of maintenance and not a full depth reclamation (14:43) we did not receive any bids last week on that those projects so we will start soliciting for (14:48) bids since we did go you know go through the whole procurement process for that but just to (14:53) keep people and just keep people informed on where we’re at with those things as well and (14:57) and we wish everybody a happy 4th of July and we hope that you’re safe and responsible (15:01) that’s Violet Sanderson Aftotown Administrator along with Josh Peebler (15:05) Utilities Director for the Town of Afton. It’s all part of the (15:07) weekday wake up this morning on the SBI Radio Network.