(Radio Iowa) – The City of Perry a new wastewater treatment plant now working that’s designed to cut nutrient levels from treated water before it’s discharged into the North Raccoon River. Iowa Department of Natural Resources director Kayla Lyon says the plant will help improve water quality. “This new plant uses state-of-the-art biological treatments to meet all the current Clean Water Act requirements. It also goes beyond the basics of removing both nitrogen and phosphorus, consistent with the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.”

The state’s strategy requires large municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities to reduce their nutrient discharge as part of renewing their permits. Perry wastewater plant superintendent Superintendent Dave Gliem says one of the treatment tanks has phosphorus-eating bacteria. “If you starve them for air a little bit, they’ll eat the phosphorus,” he says.

The latest data shows just over 40 percent of the plants in Iowa have met their nitrogen targets. Nearly a quarter have met their goals for phosphorus. The new 30 million dollar Perry plant will also increases the city’s treatment capacity to attract new companies and accommodate residential growth. Most of the funding came from the state’s revolving fund, which provides low-interest loans to water quality projects.