Athens City to get input about sewers in July

By Karen Middleton
Karen@athensnews-courier.com

June 22, 2009 09:36 pm

— The Athens City Council has scheduled a series of meetings in July to get the public’s input about installation of sewers in their neighborhoods.
The meetings will also be information meetings to explain the funding process and schedules for installing sewers in those neighborhoods still not served.
The tentative schedule calls for Glenn Valley residents to meet in the old City Council chambers on Marion Street at 6:30 p.m. June 14; Winslow and Whitfield at 6:30 p.m. July 16; Ezell at 6:30 p.m. July 20; Byram Heights at 5 p.m. July 22; and Hannah Heights at 6:30 p.m. July 23.
“We have planned these meeting with residents to discuss what it takes to construct sewers,” said Council President Ronnie Marks.
Councilman Jimmy Gill requested that East Strain Road residents be added to the Winslow and Whitfield discussions.
“They ran a force main from Canebrake down past those residents,” said Gill. “It was too high of pressure for them to connect into. We need to start talking about having a lift station for those neighborhoods.”
Marks said that if a subdivision has at least 100 lots, but no health issues, such as Glenn Valley has with raw sewage flooding the streets, “At what point do you move ahead with sewer?”
Marks said there are from 80-to-90-percent of Glenn Valley residents are ready to sign up for sewer. He said that if the city installs sewer, it would cost each household $2,400 to connect.
“Your house will have to pay $26 a month even if you don’t hook into the sewer,” said Marks.
Marks said the city is considering three-to-five-year financing plan for those residents who could not afford to pay the $2,400 hook-up fee up front.