Construction of a new sewer system in the county will eventually result in a new addition to the Pearl River County Utility Authority’s fold.
The wastewater treatment facility is being constructed by the county near their buildings in Millard, which includes the jail and the building that houses the Department of Human Services.
Interim Executive Director Ray Scott said an agreement has been drafted concerning the Utility Authority taking ownership of the facility upon its completion, when it’s deemed to be functional and once the grant has been closed.
A meeting has been set with representatives of the Utility Authority and the county to finalize the agreement next week.
The system will be similar to those constructed in Picayune and Poplarville, but on a smaller scale. Both of those plants use ultraviolet light as the final step in the treatment of wastewater.
Utility Authority Engineer Brooks Wallace said the system is about 80 percent complete, and is expected to become operational by the end of May. It is expected that the grant would be closed by October and the Utility Authority would take ownership sometime thereafter.
The board also agreed to donate a grinder pump to the county to be used in the construction of the Millard facility.
Two new members were sworn in to replace outgoing members. Mike Pind has replaced Steve Lawler, and former Poplarville Mayor Billy Spears has replaced Bill Winborn.
Scott provided the board with an update to the organization’s current financial standing. He said so far the overall budget is about .8 percent over what was planned.
However the water budget is about 1.6 percent under budget and septic has come in about 47 percent lower than expected over the month.
So far for the year the maintenance fund is $86,000 or 21 percent, under budget, meaning less repairs were required as expected.
As for work to improve existing systems, Wallace said work to replace pump stations in Picayune are expected to continue over the course of the next month and the board is ready to accept bids for lawn maintenance at key facilities.
Wallace said he is waiting on a signed agreement between the Utility Authority and Walmart to be returned concerning work to improve the lift station near where they intend to build a Neighborhood Market.
When the Item attempted to contact Walmart for comment on the new location the following email response was provided, “While we are always looking for new locations to make shopping more convenient and affordable for our customers, we have no plans to announce at the present time regarding a new store in Picayune. – Amanda Henneberg, Walmart spokesperson.”
As part of work to rehabilitate sewer lines in Picayune, all three of the initial basins have been videoed and as expected about 80 percent of the first basin needs to be lined. Utility Authority Engineer Vernon Moore said of the 46,000 feet of pipes in the first basin, 40,000 will need to be lined.
Smoke tests previously planned to take place in the near future as part of the work have been postponed. Wallace said the recent rains saturated soil in the area, which makes it hard for the smoke to penetrate. Smoke testing is now expected to take place after the pipes have been lined, allowing the soil to dry.
The next meeting of the board will be May 21 at 2 p.m. at the wastewater treatment facility in Picayune.