Pion rest area scheduled to reopen
The Pion Rest Area off of southbound I-25 in Pueblo County will reopen August 5.
The rest area closed in November so a new sewer system could be installed.
The new waterless sewage system turns waste into evaporated water and nitrates for fertilizer. A basement was built underneath the rest area that contains wood bark from Ponderosa pine trees. Micro-organisms in the bark naturally and quickly decompose the waste.
“This system is expected to save up to 1.5-million gallons of water a year,” said CDOT Maintenance Foreman Chuck Decker. “Those savings will be achieved by using water-free toilets and urinals, limited water in the sinks and a mild watering system that’ll be used to keep the bark damp.”
The $500,000 project also includes upgraded landscaping.
