by Geoff Fox
“This is what happens when you wait.”
Those are the words of Councilman David Kerns when town officials were handed a sheet of paper by RK&K Manager John Cole during a recent special town meeting with the figures for the new wastewater treatment plant.
“This is now double what it started at,” Kerns added.
After starting a number of years ago at $18 million, the total pricetag for the town’s new wastewater treatment plant still yet to be built has now reached almost $37 million.
Factors like the Covid pandemic, inflation, and tariffs have driven those costs higher.
“It’s never gonna go down,” Kerns said. “It’s never going to get cheaper. They’re going to make sure of that.”
Cole told officials there have been funds identified from MDE with $706,000 already approved for the design efforts.
There have been funds already spent on part of the project and Cole said there could be reimbursements to the town, but he’d have to see where everything stands for the requests.
There could be $10 million coming out of the Bay Restoration Funds, which is where the flush tax on water bills goes.
Cole also noted the town has $2 million in loans already committed. He added he’s committed to getting more loans or grants for the project.
There haven’t been any applications filed to the USDA as RK&K is waiting for the Pennsylvania Avenue project to be approved for funding and they don’t want too many applications out.
Cole said he’s estimating the town could get a $12 million grant.
ARC is also aware for the town’s need for funding, and could provide up to $500,000.
Similarly, Community Development Block Grants account for $800,000 a year, Cole said.
Those two grants would be applied for over two years, which is how long it would take to construct the wastewater facility.
Cole said the current schedule would see the design phase wrap up this December followed by the permit phase in April. After that, easements would have to be secured on waterlines as there would be three separate construction projects from the NAPA pump station to the treatment plant, with Cole’s hope of putting the project out to bid for construction estimates in May.
The wastewater facility water wouldn’t be potable water as it is recycled and can’t be used for drinking, bathing, or other uses.
Cole said they are working to get a fire hydrant near the facility as there will be gases produced at the new facility.
Kerns proposed the town upgrade the water supply line to an 8-inch so it would be ready for property near the facility to be developed in the future, since the town is doing a waterline extension.
However, there was argument there would end up being stagnant water sitting in that pipe.
Right now the plan is to run a 6-inch pipe from the wastewater facility to the solar field.
Kerns asked that Cole check into what the costs would be for the difference in sizes for the pipe.
Part of the cost is also reforestation, Cole said.
Mayor Roland Lanehart said there’s plenty of space where trees can be planted. Town Manager Michael Faith said the county is able to get seedlings for $1.08 each.
