Rehoboth Beach commissioners rejected a wastewater partnership with Lewes Board of Public Works and Sussex County at their Feb. 21 meeting.
Rehoboth Beach public works director Henry Matlosz said the proposed deal would have expanded the amount of wastewater a Rehoboth plant would process.
“Our Rehoboth Beach’s permit goes up to 3.4 million gallons a day, is what is allowed. And this would have been an extra 5 million gallons per day from the Sussex County and Lewes BPW.”
In exchange, the county would have paid $20 million. It would have covered upgrade costs as well.
City commissioners considered long-term effects of accepting and rejecting the partnership, which would have ensured Sussex County continues to send flow to Rehoboth’s treatment plant.
Without the partnership, city commissioners discussed the possibility that the city could lose revenue if the county diverts flow to another plant.
But Matlosz said the other parties involved are likely to feel more of an impact.
“It’s more of Lewes BPW and Sussex County are going to have to find an alternative solution to pump the treated effluent,” Matlosz said.
Some city commissioners said the partnership would have burdened the city with debt and the agreement was worth more than the county’s offered amount.
Mayor Stan Mills was among the two votes in favor of the partnership.
Lewes BPW and Sussex County will be seeking other avenues for wastewater treatment, according to Matlosz.
