By Debby Woodin
dwoodin@joplinglobe.com
Residents will have an opportunity to comment on a $35 million plan to update Joplin’s wastewater-treatment plants and on an ordinance that would set an election for Aug. 4 on a bond issue for the work.
Public hearings are set separately on the construction plan and on the ballot issue during the Joplin City Council’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. today.
David Hertzberg, the city’s public works director, said a copy of the construction plan is available at the city clerk’s office for residents to examine. He said his department can answer any technical questions residents have.
Voters will decide only whether the city can borrow the money from a state loan fund; they will not vote on the question of whether to do the project.
City officials have said the project must be done to comply with changes in state and federal regulations that are to go into effect in 2012.
The major work to be done at the Turkey Creek plant is the installation of ultraviolet equipment to disinfect the water that is to be discharged into the creek. That is needed to comply with stricter laws regarding the level of bacteria that is permitted in discharged water, the city staff has said.
Updates at the Shoal Creek treatment plant would increasing operating capacity to handle current and future flow, the engineers have said. The plant treats 6.5 million gallons of wastewater a day. The proposed upgrades would allow it to handle up to 13 million gallons a day.
Changes also are needed to the plant’s sludge-hauling operation and equipment.
Sewer rates will be raised to pay for the project. Residential rates will go up $6.32 per month over the next five years.
It will take 20 years to pay off the project whether the city finances it through a state loan fund for such projects or through a commercial lender, but the state loan could save the city about $9.2 million in interest costs, the city staff has said.
The state loan requires voter approval, while borrowing from a bank does not.
The city also is looking into whether any grant funds are available to help pay for the project. It is doubtful that federal stimulus money would be available because plans currently call for any of that money obtained by the state for the purpose of public sewer projects to be placed in the low-interest-loan fund the city hopes to tap, city officials said last week.
In other business tonight, the council will:
n Consider an emergency ordinance that would place another charter question on the Aug. 4 ballot.
n Hear several zoning questions, including a request to vacate 22nd Street between New Hampshire and Rhode Island avenues.
n Be asked to approve street microsurfacing in various locations at a cost of $540,780.
The council also will vote on whether to go into a closed meeting after the regular session. The city cites discussion of legal action or litigation and confidential conversation with its attorneys as the reason for the closure.
Sewer project
Residents who have questions about the proposal for the wastewater-treatment plants may call (417) 624-0820, ext. 204. The public hearings will be conducted as part of the meeting in the council chambers on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.
