NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) - The city of Natchez is making $1 million in improvements to the city's wastewater treatment plant in an effort to save money in the long run.

City Engineer and Natchez Water Works Superintendent David Gardner tells The Natchez Democrat (http://bit.ly/TLaJhi) the city is replacing the large fans in the plant's concrete aeration basins.

Gardner said the fans are energy hogs and will be replaced by tubes that will aerate the waste but use less energy.

He says the tubes will inject fine oxygen bubbles into the waste material to promote the growth of bacteria that will eat away at the solid waste.

With the replacement of the aeration fans, Gardner says the city is hoping to save approximately 30% on energy costs for the plant.

Information from: The Natchez Democrat, http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.