JACKSON BOARD TO ACT ON SEWER, WATER PROJECTS

JACKSON -- The design of wastewater and water system improvements to be paid for by a $10.2 million bond issue Jackson voters approved nearly two years ago is set to begin.

At tonight's meeting, the Jackson Board of Aldermen is expected to authorize the St. Louis engineering firm of Horner & Shifrin to begin the work.

The project will proceed in three phases. The first will improve the city's existing wastewater treatment plant on Lee Avenue and include installation of another tank to hold the sludge byproduct.

The city also will build a new pump station on Highway 61 at Williams Creek.

The project is designed to eliminate the need for lift stations while providing larger lines and expanding service to parts of the city where septic systems currently are in use.

Eleven existing pump stations in the city will be eliminated by the construction of the replacement pump station that will allow for gravity flow.

The construction is "eliminating working parts and providing greater capacity for existing and further development," City Administrator Steve Wilson said.

The time lag between approval of the bonds and actually beginning the project has been caused by the need to obtain low-interest money from the Department of Natural Resources and the need to update the city's facilities plan.

"We got a professional engineering firm that was familiar with how to access the money," Wilson said.

Horner & Shifrin analyzed the city's sanitary sewer infiltration/inflow system and updated its wastewater system facility plan last November. Now the engineers are designing 6.7 miles of 8-18-inch sanitary interceptor sewer, 1.6 miles of 10-inch sanitary force main and a replacement pump station they recommended in the city's new facility plan.

The design phase is expected to be completed in August. The plans then will go to the state Department of Natural Resources for review.

The money for the projects will be let in December. Horner & Shifrin is coordinating Missouri State Revolving Fund assistance from DNR, which is expected to save the city about $3 million in interest payments.

Jackson officials hope the first phase of the project can be completed during the construction year 2000. The cost will be $4 million.

Some of Jackson's water pressure problems are expected to be alleviated by the second phase, which will consist of line looping projects that will provide more water and better pressure to parts of the city that need it. The pressure problems generally are on the north side and in older parts of town in addition to the southwest area.

The second phase is to be completed in 2001 and can done in conjunction with the third phase of sewer improvements. The third phase will consist of extending two Goose Creek lines and interceptors along Highway PP.

The entire project is expected to be finished sometime in 2001.