Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 | ||
Bad Links? | Fville water, sewer geared for growthBy BEN NELMS A resolution passed by the Fayetteville City Council last week puts in place one of the final steps in completing a multi-year process to expand the citys sewage system. Resolution R-1-05 authorizes the mayor to sign documents necessary to purchase 22.69 acres on Manassas Mile Road adjacent to the existing sewer plant. The new property is situated directly across the street from the current facility. A portion of the expansion project includes the property purchase and the installation of a five-acre holding pond. The remaining acreage will be used as a buffer to close-proximity residences and for possible future use. Acquiring property across the street from the plant made sense partly because it sits at a higher elevation, said City Manager Joe Morton. The other option would have been attempting to install the holding pond in a flood-plain behind the existing sewer plant where the effluent would have to be pumped uphill to the plant, Morton said. Positioned next to the current facility and at the heart of the expansion project is the old wastewater treatment plant, closed since the early 1990s. Though the city is permitted to process 3.75 million gallons per day, the current facility treats 2.2 to 2.3 million gallons per day, close to its capacity of 2.5 million gallons, Morton said. Once retrofitted, the old plant will be able to handle another 2.5 millions gallons per day, bringing the total processing capability to 5 million gallons per day, Morton said. The formal process to expand the citys wastewater treatment capacity began around 2000, said Morton. More recent was the permitting process required by Georgia Environmental Division (EPD) that began over the past two years. Morton said the city issued revenue bonds for the project a year ago. The funds will stay in escrow until the land deal is completed and Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) gives final approval for the project. And with the design 99 percent complete, the project is anticipated to go to bid sometime in March with a construction time frame of approximately 18 months, he added. Once completed, the two plants will function in tandem. The additional capacity enabled by retrofitting the old plant is expected to meet the citys needs through what is projected to be Fayettevilles build-out phase between 2013-2015, when the citys population is anticipated to reach 18,000 to 20,000, Morton said. Fayettevilles current estimated population is close to 14,000. The citys sewer system, with both plants running, will be able to handle both the increase in population and the business that follows the flow of people. We knew wed have to bring the old plant back, Morton explained, referencing the multi-year plan and the procedures necessary to make the project work. We feel like a future build-out will top out at 4 million gallons per day. This will provide us a cushion for growth and for maintenance purposes at the plants. Its designed to carry us to build-out and beyond. Morton said the difference in the 5 million gallons per day treatment capacity once the two plants are running and the projected treatment need of 4 million gallons per day capacity at build-out leaves the city with a margin for other development opportunities that might benefit the city. Though no formal annexation plan exists and though the city is not looking at areas to annex, Morton said the council might consider looking sometime in the future at areas appropriate for re-development or backfill areas created by previous annexations. More important for the current and future residents of Fayetteville, Morton said, is maintaining a quality community. Wed rather have higher quality even if growth is at a slower pace, he said. |
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