Dive summary:

• The Montmorency-Oscoda-Alpena Solid Waste Authority landfill board in Atlanta has approved spending $15,000 to install six aerators and two fountains in leachate lagoons to speed up the evaporation process.
• The leachate is one of the bigger expenses for the landfill; it cost $385,000 to haul and treat the liquid in 2011, $240,000 in 2012 and the commissioners budgeted $225,000 for 2013.
• After the aerators and fountains are installed, estimated leachate costs will be cut in half.

From the article:

"We have seen a significant reduction in the amount of leachate and cost for what we have been doing out there," Cunningham said. "When the new aerators and fountains are installed we expect another reduction of about 50 percent. That's huge."

Alpena County Commissioner Lyle VanWormer said the more evaporation the landfill can get the more beneficial it is to the budget.