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Century To Consider Reserve Funds To Repair Failing Water, Wastewater Systems
May 9, 2017
The Town of Century needs at least $430,000 to fix “critical” problems with their water and wastewater facilities, according to numbers presented to the town council by Alicia Jernigan, Century’s certified wastewater operator.
She is asking to town to free funds from financial reserves to address critical issues.
Many of the problems involved equipment that was put into place with the wastewater plant in 1991 that is failing due to age. While the system continues to operate within the parameters of its state permit, major components such as a clarifier needs a $35,000 fix, a $10,000 pump that has failed, there is a $10,000 electrical problem with an effluent station pump, a $10,000 side stream lift pump has failed and there is an obsolete gas chemical feed system that puts the town “at risk for the release of hazardous chemicals into the environment”. Personal protection equipment for operators has not been tested in years, and air masks are dry rotted. The equipment is required “at all times to avoid injury or death in the event of a chemical leak”, according to Jernigan’s report.
Those critical wastewater plant fixes are $80,000, while the wastewater collection system needs $150,000 in critical repairs and wells need another $200,000 in critical repairs.
The Century Town Council has scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the transfer of an undetermined amount of funds from the water reserve account to begin making needed repairs. The meeting is open to the public.
Earlier this month, the Century Council approved a water and wastewater rate increase that will cost the average family just over $200 per year. The rate increase is aimed at stopping ordinary financial losses by the system.
Pictured: The Century wastewater treatment plant. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
5 Responses to “Century To Consider Reserve Funds To Repair Failing Water, Wastewater Systems”
While I agree the WWTP needs some TLC, the water that runs across Tedder rd isnt sewage. It’s just runoff from rain events as the property to the south is sloped thus running over the road to the swamp located right before the work camp.
Well someone needs to fix it because several times a week you can drive down Tedder road and see raw sewage running down the road and then off into a creek at the bottom of the hill
1991 was when Century prison opened in Century and that is when Cenruty water and wastewater doubled in size due to the prison. Maybe state required the updates then.
Sounds like a long term lack of maintenance.
Alicia Jernigan seems like she is on the ball. 1991 must have been a good year…good leadership back in the day…Maybe Happy days are here again with people opening their eyes and going to work. I know a grant is to filed to use for these improvements ….