Hollister’s population in the tank at the sewer plant’s
entrance
– which started with 10 to 15 tropical fish – recently increased
when one of them gave birth. They are housed in reclaimed water for
which city officials hope to attract customers for such uses as
watering of school parks and various crops.
HOLLISTER
It may not be legal to drink the Hollister sewer plant’s reclaimed water, but it has provided a cozy enough home for tropical fish displayed at the front entrance in a tank, enough so to spawn a family expansion of sorts.
Hollister’s population in the tank at the plant’s entrance – which started with 10 to 15 tropical fish – recently increased when one of them gave birth. At first, there were 15 to 20 tropical fish born, but since the species tends to feed on young babies, around eight to 10 of them survived, said Steve Wittry, Hollister’s engineering manager.
As to how the city expects to monitor the growing tank population, Wittry said, “We’ll keep an eye on it – I don’t think we’ll want to spay and neuter yet.”
With the city finishing its new wastewater plant this year, the idea for the reclaimed water fish tank came about when officials had been striving to inform the public on its new facility and reusable water.
They got the idea to display gold fish in a tank at the county fair. After receiving positive feedback, the city displayed it permanently – Wittry described the tank as holding 55 gallons while being about 3 feet by 2 feet and a foot and a half deep – at the new plant’s main lobby to decorate the entrance.
Wittry called the water a “product we are making” and said city officials hope to attract customers for such uses as watering of school parks and various crops.
“It can be used on crops up to harvest,” Wittry said. “It just cannot be used for human consumption.”
Hollister already has plans to use the reclaimed water at Riverside Park, which is under development, and the city also has an airport pipeline in the works, Wittry noted.
To expand the use of Hollister’s reclaimed water, the primary question that remains is the cost-benefit analysis, which officials are undertaking, Wittry said.
“We’re looking at the master plan and how reclaimed water is delivered in the area, and what makes most sense,” he said.
Look for an expanded version of this story in Tuesday’s Free Lance and a video that day about the tropical fish on the Web at www.freelancenews.com.
