The Mount Vernon City Council has authorized the Safety-Service Director to enter into a construction management contract with Kokosing Industrial for improvements to the city's wastewater treatment plant. This decision was made during the council's meeting on October 27.
"This is one of the most important infrastructure investments Mount Vernon will make over the next decade, and it will ensure that we meet state and federal requirements, maintain reliable wastewater treatment capacity, and position ourselves for sustainable growth well into the future," said Safety Service Director Tanner Salyers, according to the meeting video.
Salyers said that the project has an estimated basic construction cost of $40 million, although costs could increase. Under the current contract version being negotiated, Kokosing will receive a fee of 4.5% of these costs. The upgrades are included in the latest utility rate structure, and no rate hike is expected to fund them. The city plans to seek low-interest loan funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Pollution Control Loan Fund with a repayment plan spanning 20 to 30 years while continuing to pursue grant funding.
The project aims to ensure compliance with state and federal discharge requirements, particularly in phosphorus removal, as mandated by the city's Ohio EPA permit. It will enhance solids handling capacity and reliability at the plant, protecting public health and community livability. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requires significant phosphorus reduction by 2027. Salyers noted that the existing facility was not designed for current nutrient standards; thus, biological nutrient removal and chemical phosphorus precipitation will be added along with system redundancies.
Salyers highlighted issues with aging systems at the plant, mentioning that parts had to be sourced from eBay due to unavailability from manufacturers. He emphasized that industrial, commercial, and housing expansion necessitates reliable wastewater capacity. An increase in utility customers is expected to generate more revenue for system support.
Before authorization approval, Council member Tammy Woods acknowledged the project's necessity but expressed concern about how a 37% rate increase might affect residents. She urged city administration to explore funding opportunities to mitigate costs as she anticipates potential project cost increases.
