Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home City Council on Sept. 27 accepted $144,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Environmental Quality to assist in sewer improvements.
The grant covers 55 percent of a project. The remaining 45 percent of funding must come from other sources.
Key elements of the proposed project will include project management, engineering and inspection, design services and “post-rehab” analysis, Public Works Director Mike Adams said.
The project will be part of an ongoing effort to reduce “inflow and infiltration” (I&I). I&I is water that leaks into the sewer system through cracks in pipes and cross connections to storm systems.
The city is operating under an agreement with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to reduce I&I. During heavy rains, I&I can overload the city’s wastewater treatment plan and force bypasses of untreated wastewater into the South Santiam River.
City residents use less than a million gallons of water per day during the winter, but I&I can send 12 million gallons or more to the plant in a single day during heavy rains. The plant’s capacity is about 7.5 million gallons.
While the city is operating under the terms of the agreement, the DEQ will not fine the city for emergency bypasses.
The agreement includes an October 2007 deadline for I&I reductions.
The city has completed roughly $6 million in repairs through DEQ loans. The city estimates that completing I&I reduction will cost up to $26 million more.
The project area for the federal grant will be in the area of Eighth and Ninth Avenues near Old Holley Road, Adams said. It will relocate a line from backyards to the street.
“The city has made great strides and incurred much debt in an attempt to repair the system as required to meet the MAO (agreement),” Adams said. “But much work remains and at continued increased cost. For the last few years, staff has been submitting requests for federal grants to help pay for any improvements.”
In other business, the council:
– Recommended approval of a liquor license for T&M Pizza, which is being purchased by Don Gallogly.
– Appointed Max Thompson to serve on the All-Hazard Mitigation Committee.
– Accepted a $35,000 Oregon Department of Transportation grant for the Senior Center transportation program.