Billings Considers Treating ExxonMobil Wastewater

The Billings City Council will consider a proposal to treat wastewater from the ExxonMobil refinery in Lockwood during its Dec. 19 meeting.  Public works officials briefed the city council on the agreement– which is still being developed– during Monday’s work session.  The agreement will be similar to the Phillips 66 refinery agreement signed in July 2013.

The city provides wastewater service to some entities outside the city limits.  Public Works Director Dave Mumford said that an outside consultant will determine the price that the company will pay to treat its wastewater as well as system development fees to help compensate the city for treating a planned two million gallons of wastewater per day.  The wastewater will be conveyed to Billings’ wastewater treatment plant by the Lockwood sewer system.  Currently ExxonMobil treats its own wastewater, but new federal nitrogen and phosphorous discharge standards are difficult and costly for private companies.