Despite economic hardship locally and abroad, Safford’s wastewater treatment facility operator, Severn Trent, surprised the council by presenting it with a rebate check of $5,745.76 at its meeting Dec. 15.

The company gave an update on its progress managing the plant, and project manager Jeremy Samuels said the plant received its required permit renewal from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The permit won’t need to be renewed until 2013, Samuels said.

Severn Trent also renewed its state-certified lab license that allows it to perform testing on the city’s drinking water as well as wastewater.

Severn Trent Services presents a rebate check to the city for $5,745.76 at Safford’s council meeting Monday night. Pictured are, from left, Project Manager Jeremy Samuels, Mayor Ron Green and Severn Trent Area Senior Manager Fred Kriess. Photo by Jon Johnson

Samuels said Severn Trent’s operation of the plant has increased its ability to handle wastewater and that its daily flow of approximately 1 million gallons puts the plant at about 50-percent capacity. He said Severn Trent could possibly even get the plant’s permit extended to officially handle 2.5 million gallons per day without any capital improvements.

“Now the plant actually operates as it’s designed,” Samuels said. “You spent $15 million on a nice, beautiful plant – you want it to work the way it was (designed) . . .”

Ed Schwab, client relations specialist for Severn Trent, told the council that because of the plant’s state of disrepair when the company was first hired, the staff couldn’t get an accurate count of the true amount of waste that was flowing through. Now that the company has fixed everything and can get an accurate count, he said it reduced its cost with the city by about $25,000 per year.

Schwab also said, due to proper management and maintenance through its computerized system, Severn Trent saved an additional $5,745.76 from the city’s repair budget. Severn Trent Area Senior Manager Fred Kriess then presented a check to the council.

Mayor Ron Green said it was a pleasant surprise to see Severn Trent reduce its cost to the city, especially with the news of many scandalous companies and CEOs on the national stage.

“It’s really kind of restored my faith in the business world that there are companies like you out there that will do that, and I really congratulate you on that,” he said.

In other council news:

• The council recognized former Safford Detective P.J. Allred for his 20 years of service and presented him with a plaque. Allred will be switching hats come January when he begins his term as sheriff of Graham County.

• The council received an update on the old Safford Theater restoration project and learned a $15,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Commerce was awarded to pay for a specialized architectural study. Downtown Planner Dustin Welker told the council the architect will begin work in January and will provide an outline and schematic design on how to preserve and update the facility.

“It’s a first step of hopefully many to restore the Safford Theater,” Welker said.

Welker informed the council that a grant for a speaker system on Main Street was also awarded.

Welker said the speaker system will be controlled from City Hall and will be available for all city events.