KINGWOOD — Representatives from Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., of Bridgeport, and Kingwood Sewer Board members discussed improvements to the Kingwood sewer system during the board’s Monday meeting.
Travis Adams, senior project manager of CEC, said he and Nick Wolfe, Kingwood sewer supervisor, spent some time going over items that were of importance to the city.
“The key focus was the removal of 46 or 47 grinder pumps,” Adams said. “Nick and I went through the location of all of the existing pumps. With planning and evaluation, we can replace them with a gravity system. Many of the systems are already close to a gravity line.”
Adams said there are 20 to 25 residential homes that are not on the public sewer system but are within the city limits. He said the homes are close to a system and could easily be added.
“It looks like a good chance to get them on your system,” he said. “We looked at an extension out [W.Va.] route 7 and the Herring Road area. There is Victory Dodge and people on Herring Road we looked at bringing in.”
Adams said there were also homes on Kanes Creek and Cherry Ridge roads that could be added to the sewer system.
He also discussed the waste water plant’s four RBC units. RBC, or rotating biological contactor, is a conventional aerobic biological wastewater treatment unit.
“They (the RBCs) were last evaluated by Walker Process 10 years ago. They determined they had 10 years of life,” he said. “It’s time to evaluate and discuss the feasibility of replacing them. They are old technology. Kingwood is the last client we have who is still using RBCs.”
These RBCs were made by Walker Process.
Jean Guillot, chairman of the board, said he would like to get rid of the grinder pumps and bring in new customers.
Adams told board members the next step in the process is to evaluate the cost and look for sources to generate funding.
City Clerk Amy DeBerry told board members they needed to look at a project so they would not be left out, when funding becomes available.
“There are funding agencies out there,” Matthew Fluharty, CEC principal, said. “There’s money other than American Rescue Plan funds out there.”
Chuck Miller, secretary of the board, said he wanted a contract with CEC before work begins.
Fluharty said he would bring a general contract to the November meeting.
The next meeting of the Kingwood Sanitary Sewer Board will be 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8.
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