With its deadline looming in January, the Lower Howards Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant is nearing completion and should be finished on time, according to a departmental report issued to the Winchester Municipal Utilities Commission at its regular meeting Thursday.
The project is part of a consent decree from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, after the agency filed complaints against Winchester and WMU for violating the Clean Water Act. In 2007, the City of Winchester and WMU entered into the consent decree with the EPA, which requires both boards to improve the wastewater collection system and eliminate sewer overflows.
The consent decree agreement runs through 2025 and the deadline for finishing work on the new plant is Jan. 31. The new plant should eliminate 13 of the 27 discovered SSOs (sanitary sewer overflows).
The project is divided into five construction contracts, which, according to WMU General Manager Mike Flynn’s report, are at least 85 percent complete or as much as 99 percent complete. In the case of the Vaught Court Outfall Sewer, it is already complete.
A public meeting for the final plan presentation is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Clark County Extension Office. The meeting will provide a summation of the plan and reveal collected sampling date, goals and objectives for the watershed and the management practices to protect and restore the watershed. The public will have the chance at this meeting to speak to team members and ask questions about the project. Personnel from WMU¿and Palmer Engineering will be available at the meeting.
The departmental report also said the Bon Haven and Willow Drive water line rehabilitation project is now under construction and the water line has been installed up to the dead end of Bon Haven. The line is being installed along Willow Drive and the project should be completed by the end of November.
In other business, the board:
— approved four employee actions.
— approved a work order that renews the contract between WMU¿and Randy Goolman for the operation and maintenance of the Bulk Water Loading Stations on Pendleton Street and Water Works Road.
