“We submitted our projects to ADEM, and received a ‘Finding of No Significant Impact’ on the environment,” said Mayor Bill Hereford. “That cleared the way for us to receive the funds.”
The proposed six projects include rehabilitation of the Civic Center Lift Station and Force Main, Phase II Expansion of the waste water treatment plant, Northern Interceptor Installation, Phase II Fishing Creek Lift Station and Force Main, Wolf Creek Lift Station and Force Main rehabilitation, and overall sewer rehabilitation. The Civic Center Lift Station project was finished in May 2008.
The City Council also recently has awarded the bid for Sewer Rehabilitation Project A, which will focus on overall sewer rehabilitation of the Eden area.
“We were going to have to go on the open market to borrow the money, but we went this route instead,” Hereford said.
The city is eligible to receive $18,150,000 using funds from the fiscal year 2009 Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The completion of the six ADEM consent order projects will eliminate the potential public health hazards due to sanitary sewer overflows and provide a more efficient sewer system.
“Once we get the loan, we should have adequate funds to finish all the required sewer projects,” Hereford said.
Hereford said that he is not sure when the city will receive the funds.
“Everything is going smoothly so far,” Hereford said. “This is what city government is all about: providing water, sewer, and fire and police protection.”
“Hopefully with luck, we should have everything completed before the 2012 ADEM deadline,” Hereford said.
