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Spring City council reviews sewer expansion plan, says bids expected in December
Summary
Council members reviewed the sewer-extension project timeline, funding and next steps; officials said design has cleared state review, bids will be advertised in early December, homeowners within 300 feet will be required to connect and rates were recently raised about $15 to meet loan conditions.
Spring City held a public meeting to update residents on a multi-year sewer expansion project that the council says aims to put sewer service within 300 feet of as many building lots inside town limits as practical. Council member Marty McCain reviewed the project history, recent regulatory milestones and next steps, and residents raised concerns about cost and connection logistics.
McCain told the meeting the council began exploring sewer extension options after a wastewater master plan process that the council says started in 2020 and continued through subsequent studies. He reported that environmental reviews were completed in 2023, the Division of Water Quality advanced funding in May 2023, USDA Rural Development authorized funding in July 2023 and permitting work has continued since September 2023. "We pursued funding through the USDA RD in September of 2021," McCain said during the presentation.
On current status, the council said design plans were approved by state reviewers for bidding recently and the city expects to advertise for contractor bids in early December. McCain also emphasized the project’s goal: "to generally provide sewer service within 300 feet of as many building lots as practical," and explained that the requirement to connect when a sewer becomes available stems from state code adopted locally. He noted that exceptions for hardship exist under Division of Water Quality rules and that engineers will evaluate individual properties for elevation and pumping needs.
At least one resident pressed the council on personal costs. "What's this gonna cost us? My life is on hold until I know what I gotta spend to get this done," said Gene Boyd, a nearby homeowner, who asked about the need for pumps and how long residents would have to connect. City officials said there would be flexibility for property owners to delay physical hook‑ups while paying the monthly sewer fee, and that connection costs depend on how far a property is from the new main and whether pumping equipment is needed.
Council members and staff acknowledged rising construction costs and said the city had already raised sewer rates to meet initial loan requirements. McCain said the monthly rate increase was about $15 and that the council ‘‘is not expecting to have to raise the sewer rates'' further unless a major, unforeseen change occurs.
Council members also noted there remain roughly 54 buildable lots inside the city that factor into service-area planning. Sunrise Engineering representatives were present to advise on grades and survey requirements; councilors said final surveying will determine which properties can connect by gravity and which, if any, will require alternate solutions.
The meeting concluded with a procedural motion to adjourn. Paul Anderson moved to adjourn, Ken Crow seconded, and the motion passed by voice vote. The council indicated the project will move toward formal bidding and that staff will continue outreach and engineering assessments for affected homeowners.
