News
Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades To Start In April; Sewer Rates To Go Up
By: Atish Baidya
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The Athens City Council gave the green light to begin construction of a multimillion dollar project to improve the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
The project which is estimated to cost $15.7 million will focus on improvements to water purification by replacing older water clarifiers with modernized versions.
The plan also includes eliminating chlorine-based water treatment techniques and replacing them with more effective UV light-water purifiers.
Council members also approved the first reading of an ordinance that would increase sewer rates over the next 20 years to pay off the loan used to pay for the wastewater treatment plant upgrades.
The average customer would see their bill go up about $11 in total by the end of the 20 year period.
The last sewer rate increase was in 2011 for a period of five years.
Construction is expected to start in early to mid-April pending the loan approval by the Ohio Water Development Authority.
The agency’s next meeting is scheduled for March 28.