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1985
Population of the county has grown to 288,780 according to the 1985 Census.
1986
A database of microfilmed maps called “FILMTRACK” reduces records once maintained in over 40 linear feet of floor space to a file cabinet less than 3 feet square.
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With a 98% compliance rate in building inspections and source removal, the private I/I program receives national recognition for its innovative techniques by winning the 1986 Public Technology Award for Environmental Services during the Annual Congress of Cities in San Antonio.
1987
The Clean Water Act is amended to pay increased attention to nonpoint source pollution. It phases out federal construction grants program in favor of state revolving fund loan program; requires U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop regulations for controlling storm water runoff; and requires states to prepare nonpoint source management programs.
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The Board of County Commissioners on October 3, 1985, establishes a separate Rehabilitation and Repair (R&R) Fund for treatment facilities.
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On July 31, 1987, the final link between the City of Olathe Indian Creek treatment facility and the Johnson County Indian Creek Middle Basin treatment plant is completed. As a result, the Olathe Indian Creek treatment facility is taken out of service permanently, with flows treated at the Middle Basin treatment plant. Indian Creek is a much cleaner stream and capable of supporting aquatic life native to this area.
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To accommodate growth in the City and County service areas, the Middle Basin plant capacity is tripled in size from 30,000 people to 90,000. Odor complaints at the facility are reduced from a high of 132 in 1983 to only 5 in 1987.
1988
On June 23, 1988, the Board of County Commissioners turns over operational control of the Wastewater Treatment Facilities serving the Johnson County Industrial Airport to the Unified Wastewater Districts. The airport serves a rapidly growing industrial area just east of the City of Gardner and is deeded to the county at no cost.
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PHASE III implementation of computerization continues…two LANs and a dedicated digital telephone line are connected via servers to the County’s mainframe computer in Olathe, Kansas. With this configuration, users can access DISOSS, the County electronic mail system, and LGFS (Local Government Financial System) to retrieve records regarding wastewater users.
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A pump station and force main pump at the Cedar Creek Sewer Sub-District No. 1, better known as Cedar Hills, is completed.
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Ulla Erickson, Senior Permit Technician in the Engineering Division, retires after 21 years.
1989
Randy H. Robinson is Director of Administration
John A. Metzler, P.E., is Chief of Engineering
John P. O’Neil is hired as Director of Operations and Maintenance, replacing James M. Lonsway
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The safety and reliability of the chlorine feed equipment is maintained by System Maintenance personnel. The Districts feed 318,000 pounds of chlorine into raw and treated wastewater.
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The Infiltration/Inflow Program (I/I), is honored by the University of New Jersey-Rutgers with the State and Local Exemplary Award.
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The Lower Indian Creek Treatment Facility staff is honored with the Kansas Water Pollution Control Association 1989 Safety Award in the less than 10 million gallons per day facility category.
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A new program is instituted by the Administration Division, the Personnel and Employee Relations Committee (P.E.R.C.). P.E.R.C. is instrumental in developing the Wastewater Employee of the Month program. The first Employee of the Year Award goes to Mary Coakley-Pegg, an Operations Superintendent. She is responsible for all of the activated sludge treatment plants for the west side of the Wastewater Districts.
1990
The extension of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) which includes municipal separate storm-water discharges in the 1990s is having a significant effect on urban wastewater management.
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The New Century Air Center Wastewater Treatment Plant, formerly the Little Bull Creek Sewer Sub-District No.2, starts operation. The Wastewater Districts win an Industrial Treatment Plant Award given by the Kansas Water Pollution Control Association (KWPCA) for the plant’s successful operation and maintenance. Black & Veatch also receives an Engineering Excellence Award from the Kansas Consulting Engineer’s Council.
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The Mill Creek Regional project begins construction of a treatment facility that will eliminate seven existing plants. By eliminating the large discharges from these seven treatment plants into relatively small tributaries of Mill Creek, the water quality of the streams will be greatly enhanced. The Kansas River can assimilate treated effluent better than smaller streams. The Mill Creek project will eliminate more treatment facilities than any other project in Kansas history.
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The next step in establishing a maintenance program, predictive maintenance, uses periodic measurements of key items (vibration, bearing temperature, etc.) to detect changes which “predict” a pending mechanical failure.
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Johnson County Unified Wastewater Districts serve a population of 384,000. The Districts employ 188 full-time employees and operate under a budget of $13,682,608. Unified Wastewater Districts have grown to over 800 sewer districts and 14 treatment facilities.
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The Administration and Engineering Divisions move from the Northeast Johnson County Offices location at 6000 Lamar in Mission, Kansas, to their new 10881 Lowell location in Overland Park.
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The Johnson County building industry begins showing signs of an impending recession during 1990. The review and processing of sewer plans and district creation and modifications are in their third year of decline since 1987 with decreases of 9% and 29%, respectively.
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On May 15, 1990, a 20-year storm event causes widespread surface flooding and sewer back-ups throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. Rainfall accumulation is 5.72 inches in a 22.4 hour period, causing 198 back-ups and $182,000 in damage to the Wastewater system.
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Jake Norris retires after 32 years. One of the things he is most proud of is the opportunity to learn and advance himself throughout the years. He eventually became the Assistant Director of Facilities, managing 45 employees.
1991
The Private Infiltration/Inflow Program receives its third national award for innovation in managing the largest project of its kind to date.
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Johnson County Wastewater receives the EPA’s Region VII Collection System Award.
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The State has established four levels of operator certifications for water treatment and wastewater treatment operators. Approximately 40 JCW employees hold Class II, Class III, or Class IV certifications.
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A delegation of Engineering Geologists from the former Soviet Union tour the Middle Basin plant to observe a waste-water treatment process in the United States.
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The United States Congress proclaims 1992 the “Year of Clean Water.”
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The Board of County Commissioners authorizes the method by which JCW customers will pay for capital wastewater charges. This is known as the Sewer Repair and Construction Finance Plan (SRCFP). Under that law, some residential and agricultural land in Johnson County receive 10-year deferments for these capital charges. The year 2002 marks the end of the deferment period for the first group of deferments granted.
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Dechlorination projects are underway at the Mission Main/Turkey Creek and Blue River Main Sewer District No. I treatment facilities. In this project, the Blue River Sewer Sub-District No. 3 treatment facility will be abandoned, its sewage flows will be transported to the Blue River Main Sewer District No. I treatment facility.
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The $60 million I/I removal program is completed in 1992; the collection system will be protected from backups and bypasses in the event of a ten-year storm.
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The O&M Division provides support for maintaining the Cross Connection Control Program, essential in preventing the possible introduction of contaminated water back into the drinking water system in both the wastewater treatment facilities’ grounds and possibly in the public water distribution.
1993
The year of the “Great Flood.” Two major storm events occur in July that have a great impact on the Wastewater Districts. The total amount of these rainfalls equal one 60-year storm event. The Districts believe that had the I/I Program not been implemented, the amount of sewer back-ups and bypasses into streams would have been dramatically greater. Coupled with the success of the Flood Response Program, the Districts were able to prevent major disasters associated with flooding in the area during the summer.
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The Automated Information/Mapping System (AIMS) staff at JCW initiate the GPS project in 1993.
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JCW Inspectors collected 16,250 GPS points for manhole locations in northeastern Johnson County.
1994
The Sewer Repair and Construction Finance Plan (SRCFP) spreads costs over the entire Wastewater Districts’ service area. A number of homes see a decrease in their annual charges.
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A process known as group billing reduces the number of vouchers by 65 percent.
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Wiring funds to the state of Kansas began to repay a low interest loan from the state’s principal Revolving Loan Program, allowing Wastewater’s funds to be invested for an additional 20 days.
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A major project, the Mill Creek Regional Facility, is completed.
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Johnson County Government opens the door for the Management Excellence Program (MEP), a new philosophy that focuses on leadership and team building to create high performance organizations.
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Legend: black = general background; yellow = national event; turquoise = county legislation; green = plant construction; purple = statistics including population
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