The Christian County Commission voted to approve an emergency purchase and a contract amendment to correct a storm-drain conflict and replace sewer infrastructure serving the county jail.

County maintenance staff discovered a 15-inch storm drain conflict inside the jail sewer project that did not meet city requirements, prompting a verbal preapproval of emergency purchases to obtain fittings and parts. Contractors located the specific fittings out of state and installed the pieces so the work could proceed without remobilizing paving crews.

Contractors also performed extra pavement milling to regrade drainage after manholes were relocated, which the project team said added roughly $6,100 in paving-related costs. County staff reported the net effect of two recent change orders was a deduct of $72,613.50 on the overall project contract; staff said the project remains under the original budget and on schedule, with an expected substantial completion around July 1.

County staff and project consultants told the commission the new sewer configuration replaces a solely pumped/grinder-dependent relay with a gravity-fed system and a bypass; that design is intended to allow flow if a grinder fails and to reduce recurring backups, building damage and expensive cleanups.

Commissioners approved the emergency purchase and the related amendment by voice vote.

The commission was also told the jail’s prior sewer failures had caused flooding in sheriff’s office spaces, required wall replacement and professional biological cleanup, and created months of downtime for parts of the building. The current work is intended to reduce those risks and recurring maintenance costs.