Jackson readies for next sewer projects

The recently completed East Main Street and Goose Creek interceptor sewer projects were no easy task for Jackson.

The city lost a court battle and ended up paying more than $100,000 for one particular easement and legal fees.

The contractor hit more rock than expected, needing more time to finish. Residents on Mulberry Street had to endure torn-up streets in front of their homes as PR Developers buried 21,100 feet, or four miles, of pipe in Jackson soil. The projects, which were simultaneously constructed at $1.5 million, are finally complete.

As difficult as the sewer projects were, Jackson began drawing up plans for two new projects before the last two were finished.

The two new ones, which will cost as much as $1.4 million, are being designed for different purposes.

The Williams Creek interceptor sewer "Reach B" will connect at the first phase of the Williams Creek system that was built about five years ago. It will extend across Bainbridge Road and pass across the yet-to-be-built East Main Street extension. The primary purpose of this main is to allow for growth that is expected when the Interstate 55 interchange is built.

The second project, the Elwanda Drive sewer, is more to fix a current problem, public works director Rodney Bollinger said. The Elwanda Drive sewer will run south beginning from West Jackson Boulevard near the Main Street intersection all the way past the city limits.

"The lines have been overtaxed, they're running full," Bollinger said. "We've had a lot of backups when we get a lot of rain."

As the sewer lines deteriorate, Bollinger explained, more stormwater seeps into the system. When that happens, the lines fill up and back up into homes.

The Elwanda project is estimated at roughly $650,000. The city has estimated the Williams Creek project to cost around $800,000.

The Williams Creek project will consist of 6,500 feet and include pipes as large as 18 inches in diameter to handle what the city hopes is major commercial development. This particular branch could also service a residential subdivision along Shalom and Kidron streets, where houses still operate on septic systems. The mains won't reach to the houses, but it will give the residents the option of forming a sewer district.

The Elwanda project -- 4,800 feet long -- will meet immediate needs, but will allow for development as well. Developers Barney Proffer and Wayne Boehme have plans to build a large residential subdivision, Bollinger said. They approached the city about a year ago, but the city's sewer system couldn't handle the load of that many homes. The city informed the developers that the Elwanda sewer was already included in the major plans.

The engineering for both projects should be complete this winter, and construction should begin next spring.

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635