At the dais from left are Apache Junction Sewer District Board member Roy Starr, Treasurer Phil Tremonti, Chairperson Kathleen Waldron and Vice Chairperson Jim Reynolds.
Two return-activated sludge pumps costing $425,000 will be purchased by the Apache Junction Sewer District.
The sewer district board voted 4-0 April 29 to approve the purchase, which includes pump installation. Secretary Jesse Gage was absent.
Air-lift pumps made of PVC pipe used to move sewer sludge in the treatment process with a side stream of air will be replaced with the mechanical pumps, Darron Anglin, sewer district manager, said to the board.
The new mechanical pumps are less susceptible to clogging or fouling from hair and other debris than the current air pumps, he said.
“They’re very simple pumps,” he said of the existing pumps. “That’s why they used them from the get-go — they’re very easy to install. We find that they are not easy to operate. We find that we have better control with a mechanical system... They don’t foul as much... and you can operate them a lot more efficiently.”
Chairperson Kathleen Waldron asked about the size of the pumps. Operations Supervisor James Drye said they are about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
The sewer district is an independent, public, nonprofit entity developed solely for the benefit of its customers and the Apache Junction community to operate and maintain a regional system for the collection, transport and treatment of sewage from the properties existing within its boundaries.
Board members to the sewer district are appointed by the Apache Junction City Council.
District board members serve as volunteers who are responsible for setting policy and rates, adopting a budget and other high-level decision making regarding all aspects of the district’s operation and on-going business affairs.
By state law, board members cannot own 40 acres in the district, cannot be an employee or agent of a landowner who owns 40 acres or more in the district, cannot be an employee of the city or the county and cannot be an elected official of the city or county.
The next sewer board meeting begins at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, in the District Board Room, 5661 S. Ironwood Drive in Apache Junction.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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