Council hears PEDCO pitch to upsize sewer and install lift station to open Saint Charles Industrial Park; executive session approved

Jeff Shaw, president and CEO of PEDCO, and board member and engineer Michael (Mike) Cuppy briefed the Pueblo City Council on Aug. 4 on infrastructure work they say is needed to make the Saint Charles Industrial Park and adjoining southern city lands “site ready.” PEDCO asked council to consider using half-cent sales tax funds for design and construction of a wastewater lift station and upsizing of sewer lines that PEDCO says would unlock rail-served industrial acreage and help other southern-city projects.

What was proposed: PEDCO described a project to build a public wastewater lift station near the rail park and to upsize downstream collection lines so flows can reach the Greenhorn trunk and the city wastewater treatment plant. Shaw and Cuppy said the work would allow rail-served industrial parcels (including the city-owned rail park east of the tracks and a 400-acre parcel owned by the Public Development Foundation north of CS Wind) to be developed for large industrial users. "A site needs to be ready to go... utilities available," Shaw said.

Cost and capacity concerns: a PEDCO estimate shared during the meeting put…