Published: March 13, 2009 01:50 pm      

New Albany Sewer Board approves $1.1 million upgrade

Basin work will enable city to serve new industrial park, housing developments

They approved the research last year, and on Thursday, New Albany Sewer Board members took the necessary action to get construction started for sewer improvements that will aid developments along Grant Line Road.

Construction for phases two and three for Basin 35 was OK’d, a project that will cost a little more than $1.1 million. The board’s favor lifts the ban of the reserved funding pending the approval of the bank where the money is being held.

Clearing issues with the Environmental Protection Agency is the biggest hurdle left to clear. The city can make the necessary improvements to the sewer lines but the EPA must sign off before the additional capacity is allowed.

Wes Christmas, an engineer for the city-hired firm Clark-Dietz, will provide the bank with reasoning for the project. Most notably, the added capacity the construction will bring will allow the city to serve the Grant Line Industrial Park West facility when it comes online.

The housing development Stonecrest would also be allowed waste service if the construction is completed. The project was approved nearly three years ago by the city’s Plan Commission, but it has been held up, waiting on EPA to give the OK.

Stonecrest has agreed to pay between $300,000 to $400,000 in upfront tap-in fees, money that would assist the utility in completing the basin work to enhance capacity.

“I’m all in favor of moving forward,” said board member Gary Brinkworth. He said the work must be finished in time to serve Grant Line West, as well as Stonecrest and other future developments.

“We have all the permits approved and ready to go,” said Christmas of the necessary construction consents. He is also preparing a response to the EPA to explain the reason for overflows at the basin that occurred more than a year ago.

The EPA ruled the additional capacity of Stonecrest couldn’t be added to the basin due to the overflows, but Christmas and board members have stated that record-setting rains were the culprits and the basin can handle the extra load, especially with the upgrades.

The city must acquire three easements before construction can begin according to sewer attorney Lee Buchanan. He said the Board of Public Works and Safety will hear the case and if approved, it will likely take between six weeks to two months to take care of the easements.

Christmas said that won’t really delay the project since it has to be advertised and then bid-out, a process that usually takes 60 days.

Once the necessary pre-construction work is finished, Christmas said finishing phase two and three for Basin 35 should take six months.

“We want to try and take advantage of the summer construction schedule as much as possible,” Christmas said.

Work is also scheduled to begin this summer to prepare infrastructure for Grant Line West. It’s expected to take at least a year to finish construction of the park.