OTTUMWA — City officials continue to look for ways to fund the major sewer separation project.
U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack met with city officials Wednesday to discuss the sewer separation and other city projects.
Scott McCarty, with the engineering department, said the sewer separation project is in its third phase. The first two phases are complete. He estimated the third phase would be finished in six months. The goal is to separate the combined sewer overflow system (CSO) which handles both wastewater and storm water throughout the city.
“The sewer system is ancient,” Loebsack said, adding that it is very expensive to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements for sewer systems. Other communities like Keokuk and Clinton are dealing with similar issues.
City Planning Director Dave Shafer said the project is “critical for economic growth.”
“The total cost is a moving target. It’s very expensive,” he said.
Loebsack has helped secure funding for the project in the past, and said he will continue looking for federal funding opportunities.
Another major project is improvements to City Hall, Shafer said. The city secured I-Jobs funding to improve energy efficiency and renovate the Fourth Street entrance into the building.
Shafer said the city had been looking for ways to fund the improvements for several years, and officials are happy to finally get the projects going.
The meeting was part of Loebsack’s “Investing in Iowa” tour through the state. Other stops include Cedar Rapids, Keokuk and Fairfield.
Loebsack has been involved in securing about $300,000 in federal funds for water and infrastructure improvements in Ottumwa, and about $2 million for the Fairfield National Guard facilities.
Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or by e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.
Local News
Loebsack discusses sewer separation
- Local News
-
-
Out of the chute: Bullriders of America finals come to Ottumwa
Over two nights, the best riders in the Bullriders of America face off against hand-selected, well-known bulls. This is the culmination of the 2011 riding season for the BOA, a Midwest-based association, and the finalists are competing for more than $20,000 in cash and prizes this weekend at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.
-
Planning for the future
The council will first look at the goals the previous council established at the same session in 2010 to see what has been completed, what is still ongoing and what has been dropped at the 2012 goal-setting session Wednesday night.
-
Kohl's project moving forward
As part of the development agreement with Kohl’s, the city needs to complete the Wildwood Drive Reconstruction Project by Sept. 1. The City Council will hold a public hearing for the project at its meeting Tuesday night. The project calls for a full-depth and full-width replacement of Wildwood Drive and an additional 16-inch water main.
-
Students arrested on terrorism charges to remain in state custody
Fred Kirfman and Troi Milstead have been released from juvenile detention, but a judge has ordered them to remain in a shelter run by the Iowa Department of Human Services.
-
Kids ask other kids not to bully
Dalton Prasch and his study partner, Matthew Kelley, were looking up slogans for a class project on bullying. The script that Laura Allen’s fifth-graders came up with ran as a public service announcement on local radio stations. The students discuss what they don't like about bullying and share some of their tips to stop a bully.
-
Supervisors to look into using rail yards for traffic
The Wapello County Supervisors will discuss using the I.C.&E. rail yards for traffic when the Quincy Street Bridge is closed for repair next summer. Supervisor Jerry Parker said the situation affects properties along Black Hawk Road and other county roads in that area. The Wapello County Supervisors will met at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the third-floor boardroom/courtroom of the Wapello County Courthouse.
-
House to debate bill outlawing traffic cameras
Ottumwa’s downtown surveillance cameras would not be affected by a bill headed to the Iowa House focused on banning automated cameras to enforce traffic laws. Ottumwa does not use traffic cameras.
- Citizens Police Academy begins Monday
-
More deer taken in Ottumwa's 2011-12 bow season
The rise from the previous season was by more than one-third and brought the total number of deer harvested in seven seasons to 612.
-
Staying inside the new lines
Redistricting of Iowa’s House and Senate Districts has shuffled around some local representatives, some very drastically.
- More Local News Headlines
-
