By ANTHONY WARREN
Senior Staff Writer
Jackson has finished work on another major chunk of its consent decree work.
Recently, Engineering Manager Charles Williams told the city council work has wrapped up on the fifth phase of the West Bank Interceptor Rehabilitation Project.
“Over the past five years, we’ve initiated five or six projects as it relates to the interceptor. Parts of that were to reduce infiltration in the system and improve the system itself so it can handle additional flow capacity,” Williams said. “We have achieved that.
The interceptor is a major sewer main that runs along the west bank of the Pearl River and connects to the Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The line in its unrepaired state was so porous that when the Pearl River’s water level went up following heavy storms, river water would get into the sewer system and mingle with untreated wastewater.
The river would be contaminated as a result. Also, water getting into the system would increase the flow going to the Savanna plant.
Following the completion of the fifth phase, the city has “already seen dramatic improvements as it relates to capacity in the system,” Williams said. “Now, the attention will be focused (on) cleaning the system near the upper end, near the country club. (We will) work with program managers on other places we need to look at.
Williams said additional work likely is needed on the West Bank, as well as other interceptors that tie into it.
The fifth phase cost approximately $3.5 million and was funded with a revolving loan from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
The loan carries a 1.75 percent interest rate, and will be paid back with revenues collected from the city’s water and sewer department.
Hemphill Construction was brought on to do the work.
The project included rehabbing approximately 7,200 feet of line from Lakeland Drive to Meadowbrook Road.
Jackson entered into a decree with the U.S. Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2012. Under terms of the agreement Jackson was given 17.5 years to make some $400 million in improvements to the system.
Improvements are designed to bring the aging sewer into compliance with federal water quality laws.
While the initial cost of decree-related work was $400 million, a presentation given by city officials show Jackson could be on the hook for much more. Improvements are now estimated to run between $615 million and $800 million.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s team is now in talks with state and federal officials to renegotiate the decree’s terms.
