In conjunction with Columbus Light and Water, the city of Columbus will apply for a Community Development Block Grant that would provide federal funding which would be used to address sewage issues in Ward 4. If approved, that project would be added to a list of others in the works for that area, all of which are scheduled to be discussed 4 p.m. Thursday at Columbus Municipal Complex, city federal programs director Travis Jones said late last week.
Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and CL&W would be on hand during the meeting to field questions about projects and other drainage issues in Ward 4, Jones said.
“The grant we are applying for through the Mississippi Development Authority would be for a total of $400,000. MDA would provide $200,000 and there would be a $200,000 match from the city,” Jones said. “In-kind services can be counted toward our match.”
CL&W General Manager Todd Gale said he approached the city council earlier this year and requested the city apply for the grant on behalf of the utility provider. Gale said he and city officials are still evaluating project specifications, but grant funding and in-kind services would likely go toward city staff inspections of sewer lines to pinpoint deficient areas and contracting a company to rehabilitate them.
“We would use a camera to inspect the area between the (Highway 82) bypass down to 14th Avenue, then we’re going to start downstream with the lines that are the worst as far as infiltration and, working upstream, start lining the sanitary sewer lines,” Gale said. “We would apply a polymer coat inside of sanitary sewer lines and seal all the cracks and joints to stop water from coming in.”
Also to be discussed regarding improvements on 14th Avenue will be a plan in cooperation with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to divert water from the Miss. Highway 82 bypass due east to the Luxapalila Creek area.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.