Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / March 4, 1993, edition 1 / Page 12
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Shallotte Sewer Plant Needs Work; Engineer Suggests Major Expansion BY DOUG RUTTER Shalloilc officials need lo make immediate improvements to the sewer plant and start planning ex pansion of its dwindling capacity, according to system engineer Finlcy Boncy. Speaking lo the town board Tuesday night, Boncy said the town will lose the use of some spray irri gation fields as a result of two state inspections of the plant conducted in February and last fall. "The state is concerned about sev eral spots in our spray field area." the Raleigh engineer reported. "There are several spots that arc low-lying and hold water after it rains." Boncy estimated that the "lost" spray fields could cost the town about 8,000 gallons of wastewater treatment capacity per day. Ill at would leave Shallottc with 200,(XX) gallons per day. The town presently uses about 140,000 gallons per day on average. Boncy and Maintenance Director Albert Hughes said both of the "sur prise" inspections followed periods of extremely heavy rainfall. Boncy said the town will proba bly have to spend some ils S78,(XX) capital reserve fund to make the im provements at the plum. While that work is being done, he recommend ed the board consider a major ex pansion of the capacity. "We're going to be losing some of our spray site capacity," the engineer said. "I want the town board to be thinking about doing something more than a Band Aid." Boney said state officials are sug gesting the town acquire more land for spray fields. He recommended aldermen start planning so they can eventually increase the capacity to 500,(XX) gallons per day. "I would like the board to consid er a meaningful expansion of your wastewater treatment facilities," he said. "I think we've realized a com fortable growth rate over the last few years. 1 just think we owe it to ourselves to be in a position to con tinue this healthy growth." Hughes pointed out that the plan ning board has looked at several projects in the last few years that could account for the rest of the ex isting capacity if they were devel oped. Boney warned that the town would have to be selective about any land it purchases or leases for addi tional spray fields. The land must be suitable for such use. He also said land north and east of the plant would be better than property west and south because it is farther from town. The engineer said the additional land wouldn't have to be contiguous to the plant or existing spray fields. Shallotte could pump treated waste water as far as one mile from the plant to be applied to irrigation fields. "If we could get the land at a rea sonable rate it would be good to bite the bullet and buy the land," Mayor Sarah Tripp said. "It's not like it's something that wc don't need." The mayor said the town might have more "bargaining power" if it tries to by a large amount of land than it would if it went after smaller pieccs of property. Alderman Roney Cheers said he thinks the town should start plan ning the expansion as soon as possi ble. "I realize if wc cxpect to grow we're going to have to expand our system." However, Cheers said he is op posed to some of the current fees the town charges landowners and devel opers to raise money for sewer ex pansion. He said they discourage growth. Shallottc's wastewater treatment plant opened in May 1983. The ca pacity was expanded from 130,(XX) gallons per day to 20X,WX) gallons per day about four years ago. Other Business In other business Tuesday, alder men: ?Heard a status report on ex traterritorial zoning from Planning Board Chairman Carson Durham. The board has met twice sincc a Jan. 26 public hearing and is considering 33 zoning changes requested by property owners. Another public hearing will be set following the board's next meeting March 9. ?Promoted policc officcr David Andrews from probationary to per manent status as recommended by Chief Rodney Gausc. The board al so aeccptcd Gausc's recommenda tion to extend the probationary peri od of officcr Michael Fcrster for six months. Authority To Repay County For '82 Water System Loan The Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority will soon refund the S5.6 million it borrowed from Brunswick County in 1982 to build its raw water facility. The authority plans to issue ap proximately S4.2 million in revenue bonds to raise the money to pay kick the loan, said Brunswick County Manager David Clcgg. The remainder of the money will be raised through user fees. Clcgg is also chairman of the 11 mcmber authority representing the City of Wilmington and Brunswick, New Hanover, Columbus, Pender and Bladen counties. As the authorities first customer. Brunswick county provided ihc $5.6 needed to build a pumping station in Bladen County and to run water lines to Brunswick's treatment plant near Northwest. The authority's customer base has grown large enough to pay back the money it borrowed for the initial construction, Clegg said. The au thority now provides water to Brunswick County, Wilmington and to several industrial customers in New Hanover County. Clcgg said the money would be used to restructure the debt the county owes on its own water sys tem. It "s everywhere your advertising ought to be... forget the advertising deadline for the Easter issue, coming April 8, is Thursday, March 18 THE BRUNSWICK#BEACON CALL AN ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE RIGHT NOW, 754-6890
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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March 4, 1993, edition 1
12
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