Sewer project underway in California

11/29/2011

City council members in Willits, California, recently voted to accept a USDA loan for nearly $575,000 to aid in the completion of three projects relating its new sewer plant project, Willits News reports. The move was made to avoid future sewer rate payment increases the city may incur if the issues weren't taken care of.

First, $297,000 was authorized to repave Sewer Plant Road, the street that serves the plant as well as commercial businesses in the surrounding area. The existing road is "poorly designed" and is at ground water level, while construction equipment left it severely damaged. An improved roadway will make it easier for vacuum trucks to haul septic pumpings to the plant.

Second, $180,000 will be dispersed to pave the plant's sludge composting mix station, as it was "mostly demolished during plant construction." The council plans to replace the old asphalt pavement with new concrete.

Lastly, $97,000 will be allocated to science-based consulting firm SHN Engineering to convert a clarifier into a sludge digester, noting that the current equipment tends to falter during the winter.

According to the USDA's website, it's Rural Development program offers water and waste disposal loans and grants to finance sanitary landfills, incinerators and stabilization ponds in addition to sewer facilities.