CITY BREAKS GROUND: PROJECT REPLACES SEWERS ON CITY'S SOUTH SIDE

City officials Monday broke ground on a project to begin replacement of antiquated sewers on Cape Girardeau's south side.

The project is part of a two-year, $800,000 community development program in the College-Jefferson neighborhood. The program includes a $570,000 grant to rehabilitate about 60 housing units in the neighborhood and $230,000 for the sewer improvements.

During the past several years residents of south Cape Girardeau have reported mostly following heavy rains sewage-filled basements and raw sewage discharged in drainage ditches and into Cape LaCroix Creek.

Combination storm water and sanitary sewers have been blamed for most of the problems, and the city last year completed a 20-year sewer master plan aimed at segregating the old system.

Included among the five-year sewer priorities is a $5 million project that would separate combined sanitary and storm sewers in the College, Walnut and Henderson streets area the same area where the city has embarked on a housing rehabilitation project funded by a Community Development Block Grant.

Although the sewer work in the block grant area is only a small portion of the city's overall sewer segregation plans, when finished, it should help relieve some of the problems.

Steve Williams, the city's housing assistance coordinator, said the project will include installation of new sanitary and storm sewers in the four-block grant area. He said the new sewers will reduce the flow of waste in the "bottom" end of the 56-inch combination sewer main beneath Henderson Street.

The project also will include the replacement of private sewers at Park Street and West End Boulevard. The project is expected to take about six months to complete.

Since 1982, the Community Development Block Grant program has resulted in the rehabilitation of more than 120 homes and the improvement of 17 streets and two alleys with about two miles of high-quality pavement.

A construction contract for the sewer improvements was awarded recently to Bloomsdale Excavating Co. The total cost of the contract is $654,000, with the city's contribution totalling $424,000.

The second year's program also includes the rehabilitation of about 30 housing units in the project area. Twenty-two housing units were completed during the first year of the program, and three units now are under contract.

Applications for low- to moderate-income property owners in the project area are available at Room 200 of City Hall, 401 Independence, or by calling 334-8326 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eligible property owners can receive up to $12,000 to rehabilitate their homes.