Giving poop a purpose: 100 years of treating Lincoln's wastewater

Download the new Journal Star News Mobile App

Lincoln Southwest running back Ashton Traudt (2) runs the ball under defense by Columbus defensive end Caden Kapels (81) during the Silver Hawks' game against Columbus on Friday at UBT Stadium at Lincoln Northwest. Southwest was leading 14-6 at halftime.

Seward local Garin Metzger (left) drives his pontoon boat on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 at Branched Oak Lake in Lancaster County during the start of Labor Day weekend. Pictured with him is his wife Linda Metzger (center-right), and their friends Shanda Laflin (center-left) and Pam Spicher (right).

Nebraska's Mikai Gbayor (42) celebrates with teammate Brian Buschini after he limited Minnesota to a short yardage after a kickoff return on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule points to the team during the first quarter against Minnesota on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Nebraska volleyball celebrates a 3-0 victory against Omaha on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium during Volleyball Day in Nebraska.

Club team volleyball players, including Kenzie MacDonald of Omaha (left), 13, and her twin Kyra MacDonald, cheer during the final moments of the Nebraska volleyball match against Omaha on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska head coach John Cook (left) takes the court with his team before taking on Omaha on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.

Volleyball fans do the wave during a break in the action during the match between Omaha and Nebraska on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska's Lexi Rodriguez (8) and Merritt Beason (13) lead the team to the court before the match against Omaha on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.

The glare from the sun hits the court causing players to be silhouetted against the floor during the second set Wednesday at Memorial Stadium.

Noah Snurr of Nebraska State Education Association (left) and Molly Gross of  Nebraska Parent Teacher Association deliver boxes of signatures Wednesday from the Support our Schools Nebraska petition drive to the Secretary of State's election office.

Cole Graham (center) and Scott Ryan (right) of Nebraska Sign Company set up the volleyball court at Memorial Stadium ahead of Volleyball Day in Nebraska, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023.

Christopher Corbett Jr., 7, examines the cockpit of a T-38 Talon on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023 at the Guardians of Freedom Airshow at Lincoln Airpark.

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels leave a smoke trail behind them as they perform aerial feats during the Guardians of Freedom Airshow at Lincoln Air Park on Saturday.

Spectators watch and photograph the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing aerial feats over Lincoln's Air Park during the Guardians of Freedom Airshow on Saturday. More than 340,000 people attended the two-day show.

An F-35C long-range stealth strike fighter flies just under the sound barrier during the Guardians of Freedom Airshow at Lincoln Air Park  on Saturday.

Seth Avett, Scott Avett and Joe Kwon play onstage during a performance The Avett Brothers at Pinnacle Bank Arena , on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Lincoln.

Lincoln Lutheran's Ryan Bokelmann holds the Spirit Sword high as he leads his team in celebration after the Warriors defeated Lincoln Christian on Friday at Aldrich Field.

Farrah Plate practices yoga on her paddleboard at Holmes Lake Park on Thursday. Lincoln topped 100 degrees for the fifth day in a row on Friday, when the city's excessive heat warning expired. Relief is forecast on Saturday, where along with a chance of rain, the high is expected to be in the 80s. Those temps are to continue through Wednesday. 

Guests at the Duncan Aviation/Make-A-Wish Sixth Annual Charity Car Show walk through rows of cars on display at Duncan Aviation Components and Parts on Sunday near the Lincoln Airport. The event featured airplanes, firetrucks, food trucks and awards for a variety of car categories. Representatives from Duncan presented this year’s Make-A-Wish kid, 3-year-old James, with a trip to the "Cars" Suite at the Art of Animation Resort at Disney World. All event proceeds went to benefit Make-a-Wish Nebraska.

Ta'mircle Washington (left) splashes water on Eliah Kruger as they keep cool at the Bicentennial Cascade Fountain, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Lincoln. Starting on Saturday, the National Weather Service is forecasting five days with triple-digit heat out of the next six. If that proves correct, it will be the longest stretch of 100-degree highs in the city in more than a decade. Lincoln's forecast calls for heat indexes potentially topping 110 degrees on Saturday and Monday.

Cornhusker Marching Band flag line member Alyssa Johnson, who is a reporting intern at the Lincoln Journal Star, twirls with her team during a routine on the field at the annual exhibition concert on Aug. 18, 2023, in Memorial Stadium at University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

Lincoln Pius X's Jack Schafers celebrates after he scores a touchdown in the first quarter against Lincoln Northwest on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, at Union Bank Stadium.

Lincoln Lutheran football players join hands in a pre-practice prayer before starting football practice at Lincoln Lutheran High School on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, in Lincoln.

Nova Trumler (left), 3, and Paxton Netsvetayer, 4, play as they build a house at Creative Minds Early Learning Center.

Asa Wegrzyn removes practice gear from a storage container before football practice at Lincoln Christian High School on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Lincoln.

Preschooler Vihaan Idara (center) participates in playtime with his teacher and fellow classmates during the first day of the semester on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023 in a new space at Standing Bear High School.

Lincoln Northeast's Landon Hoff (left) takes a handoff from Jacian Brown (right) during football practice Wednesday at Northeast High School.

Becca Griebel (left) and her parents Tammy and Randy Griebel help her brother, University of Nebraska-Lincoln freshman Drew (second from left), move into his dorm room at Abel Hall on Tuesday in Lincoln. Around 5,000 students are moving into residence halls this week at UNL. Classes start on Monday.

A hover fly sits a top a black-eyed Susan at the Sunken Gardens.

Bull riders ready themselves for the competition ahead during the Extreme Bull Riding Tour at the Lancaster Event Center on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023, in Lincoln.

Cassidy Krawczak-Kummrow pumps her fist in the air after walking across the graduation stage with hre masters degree during UNL's summer semester commencement ceremony at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday.

NATS detasslers work a seed corn field somewhere between Lincoln and Waverly, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

Rachel Feldhaus, a 4 year detassler, pulls tassels from corn stalks on the final day of NATS season on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023.

Lincoln East head coach John Gingery talks tackling with a demonstration with Dash Bauman during a football practice Thursday at Seacrest Field.

Kipton Fankhauser loses his shoe as he falls off of "War Dance" during Mutton Bustin' at the Lancaster County Super Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lincoln.

Patrons enjoy the first weekend of the outdoor carnival during the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Lancaster Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

Syllas Daniels and Kaneka Taylor (right) hold on tight as they ride the Orbiter at the carnival during the Lancaster County Super Fair at Lancaster Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

A nun peruses the animals on display at Rabbit Row during the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Lancaster Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

Angelina Mojok waves to the camera as she rides the merry-go-round at the carnival during the at the Lancaster Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

Cally Sullivan, Hannah Munk, Noah Schmoll and his sister Jocelyn (from left) let their rabbits hop from the starting line as they compete in a rabbit race during the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Lancaster Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, in Lincoln.

Offensive lineman Yahia Marzouk and Brady Eickhoff (from left) spring out from under the chute while running a drill during a practice at Lincoln Northwest on Wednesday.

Nebraska middle blocker Andi Jackson blocks assistant coach Jaylen Reyes during practice Tuesday at Devaney Sports Center.

Lincoln Pius X's Hudson Schulz (left) tackles teammate Sebastian Morales during practice on Tuesday at Pius X High School.

A view of the Federal Legislative Summit on Tuesday at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland.

Nebraska's Bryce Benhart (left) and Brock Knutson practice on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, at Hawks Championship Center.

Lincoln Southwest's Zak Stark makes a throw during a football practice on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, at Lincoln Southwest.

An excavator tears bricks off Pershing Center on Monday as demolition work begins in earnest on the former civic auditorium. Bringing down the structure is expected to take two to three weeks.

Young dancers spin one another as they perform a traditional dance with Wilber Czech Dancers during the annual Wilber Czech Festival on Saturday. The celebration will continue Sunday with a parade, motorcycle show, eating contest and much more.

Teams shoot around in the common area as they prepare to compete against one another during the 3-on-3 Railyard Rims basketball tournament at The Railyard on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in Lincoln. In collaboration with the Downtown Lincoln Association, the YMCA of Lincoln hosted the seventh annual Railyard Rims August 4-5. This 3-on-3 tournament takes basketball to the streets of the Railyard.

Callum Anderson gets his first haircut from barber Dean Korensky as he sits with his mother, Courtney Anderson, on Thursday at 33 Street Hair Studio. Callum was the fifth generation of the Anderson family to get a haircut from Korensky.

Carter Worrell has a staring contest with a baby chick during the Lancaster County Super Fair at Lancaster Event Center on Aug. 3, 2023.

A Nowear BMX rider jumps from a high ramp while teammates watch during the Lancaster County Super Fair at Lancaster Event Center on Thursday.

Zack Mentzer peeks out from a trailer while he and his family unload their Hampshire cross breed pigs the day before the start of the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Lancaster Event Center on Aug. 2, 2023.

Fair kids who show animals will set up in the stalls so they have a place to rest, the day before the start of the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Lancaster Event Center on Aug. 2, 2023.

Jen Witherby (left) and Mary Weixelman, bought 3 Daughters, last month and just recently completed their first week as owners.

Cooper Jordan, 4, runs the spray of a soaker hose during Sprinkler Day at the Eiseley Branch Library on Monday.

Protester Kari Wagner holds up a sign as Nebraska State Board of Education member Kirk Penner walks by in the Capitol on Monday.

Mack Splichal, 2, shows off his cheer moves to Nebraska cheerleaders Sidney Doty, Carly Janssen and Audrey Eckert (from left) during Nebraska Football's annual fan day at Hawks Championship Center on Sunday, July 30, 2023.

Shoes lost by previous skydivers are hung above the exit to the runway at the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club on Saturday, July 29, 2023, in Weeping Water.

Carpet Land players watch from the dugout as their team bats in the first inning during the Class A American Legion championship on Saturday at Den Hartog Field.

Nebraska's Darian White (left) talks with teammate Callin Hake during a team practice Thursday at Hendricks Training Complex.

Ten-year-old Connor Horner plays in the sprinkler fountain at Centennial Mall across from the state Capitol on Monday, as temperatures reached the 90s and the heat index reached into triple digits. The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department said it discourages people from playing in the Centennial Mall fountains because the water is not treated.