Consultants present phased wastewater plan as costs rise; council and residents press for pause and review

Ed Saint John, a wastewater consultant with CDM Smith, told the Vermilion utilities committee that the city must update its November 2022 wastewater master plan to meet terms of an Administrative Order with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and to address permit violations, inflow and infiltration and sanitary sewer overflows. He recommended a phased approach that focuses first on short‑term fixes at the city plant and a collection‑system program to reduce inflow and infiltration.

The most immediate work John described includes mechanical and grit‑removal upgrades, an aeration system refresh and a major electrical upgrade. He presented a conceptual cost estimate of about $21 million in today’s dollars for the short‑term plant work, which grows to roughly $35 million after contingencies, escalation and contractor overhead are included. John said those short‑term upgrades are being designed to provide roughly a 20‑year service life and to keep the plant operating while the city finalizes long‑range options.

Why it matters: the EPA required a revised plan and timeline; the city secured an extension pending submission of the updated master plan and is pursuing a construction loan nomination for $40 million to fund the work. Council members and residents pressed the consultant on whether the master plan submission could be delayed to let an incoming administration weigh in, how a design loan would be repaid or rolled into construction financing, whether short‑term scope could be scaled down, and whether electrical upgrades would be compatible with a future pump‑station that would send flows to a county system.

Councilmember questions and public skepticism followed the presentation. Residents pointed to an example of a new plant elsewhere that was reportedly built for $21 million and asked why Vermilion’s figures are higher; John and others said comparisons are not apples‑to‑apples because treatment processes, site work and transmission mains differ. Several residents urged a temporary pause in contracting and asked the administration to involve the incoming mayor and county officials before making irreversible decisions.

Next steps: John said the city aims to finish design work by December, submit the amended master plan to EPA, advertise the project in March and begin construction on the plant in May 2026 if loan funding is authorized. He reiterated a recommendation to pursue the short‑term package to keep the plant compliant and operational while the council continues to evaluate mid‑ and long‑term alternatives, including joining a Lorain County wastewater consortium or building a pump station and transmission mains to an out‑of‑city plant.

The council did not take a formal vote on a construction contract at this meeting; staff and consultants were asked to provide clearer financing scenarios, statutory and contract implications for county tie‑in, and a prioritized list of short‑term projects that could be scaled if budget constraints require it.