Groups move to fund sewer, water lines 11/11/2009 7:44 PM By HALEY HUGHES Staff writer
Aiken County Council took a step forward in securing stimulus money to refurbish Avondale Mills sewer lines after emerging from private session Tuesday evening, and the Valley Public Service Authority agreed to start bidding out the work that needs to be done on the water lines.
After adjourning the executive session, County Council passed first reading of an ordinance authorizing a loan agreement between the County and the state for the stimulus money needed to overhaul the aging sewer lines servicing the Graniteville and Vaucluse areas.
The agreement would allow the County to draw up to $4 million as it incurs expenses while the work is ongoing.
Before going into executive session, Council passed second reading of an ordinance that proposes enlarging VPSA's boundaries to include the water and sewer areas currently served by Avondale.
County Administrator Clay Killian said he expects a second reading and public hearing on the ordinance seeking the stimulus money to happen at the Tuesday, Nov. 17 meeting.
Also Tuesday, the Valley Public Service Authority met and voted to begin advertising bids for the work needed to replace Avondale's water lines after entering into an agreement in September to take ownership of the system.
The upgrades will be achieved by a combination of loans, stimulus funds and grants. VPSA is asking for $7 million in grants from the Department of Agriculture, $3 million in loans and $2 million in stimulus to complete the work on the water lines.
The work will be bid out in three phases.
"We will replace some of the lines with $2 million in stimulus," said Calvin Smith, VPSA general manager.
Even though VPSA is in the midst of a 120-day due diligence period before it can be transferred ownership of the system, board secretary/treasurer Sarah Johnson said the project must be shovel-ready by the end of the due diligence period in time to get the stimulus money before the deadline expires.
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Comment Title:
Why should all Aiken residents be responsible for maintaining a water and sewer system that a few hundred have been using and abusing in a heavily subsidized manner for 30 years? Where is the fairness in this socialism?
Posted by: On: 11/12/2009
Comment Title: Who???
Specifically, which council members fought against it? Or are you just generalizing?
Posted by: On: 11/12/2009
Comment Title:
First they didn't want federal money, but now they do!! These clowns sure know how to spend it, but they fought against it.
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