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Show Bond Election Set for Sewer District, Nov. A combination of events oc-curing oc-curing over the past several years has made it necessary for nothern Utah Counties to construct a new regional wastewater treatment plant. American Fork, Lehi, and Pleasant Grove have formed a special service district, and a bond election will be held in November to finance the region's share of the project. Undersized.worn out, and outmoded facilities currently in use will not meet the state's high water quality standards by 1980. In addition, population growth in northern Utah County has necessitated a larger, more modern plant to handle the increased flow of sewage. Alpine City itself needs to construct a sewage collection system. Present facilities in the area were designed 20 years ago for standards in effect at that time, which were four times less stringent than now. The new plant will be sized to handle wastewater for 52000 people, douple the present population of the four cities. Each city will maintain ownership and operation of its own collection system, while it is proposed that the new district own and manage the outfall lines and treatment facility, to be located near Utah Lake. With construction scheduled to begin in 1977, estimated cost for the project is $17 million, 75 per cent of which will be funded by a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Citizens will vote in the election on a bond to finance the remaining 25 per cent, or about $5 million. Service charges to users of the new wastewater treatment plant will average about $8 per month. Without the regional approach and new plant.costs would be $4 more. The four cities are presently considering a minimun charge of $6 with the remainder to be charged those who use more water. Charges to individual cities will be based on actual flow of sewage. Alternatives to the regional approach have been thoroughly investigated for the past two years by engineers, and city councils in northern Utah County agree agr-ee that the new regional treatment plant will have several advantages over individual in-dividual ones. Fewer operators will be required for a more effective, efficient treatment process. Cost savings on operation & maintenance, main-tenance, and future expansion if necesary, will be realized by citizens of the four cities. Aregional system will allow better, more professional management of the overall project. Mayors and councilmen of each city involved met with engineering and financal consultants con-sultants and representatives of the Mountainland Association of Governments Sept. 23 to discuss bonding and make final evaluation of the financial plan. Citizens have also provided input at several public hearings. Members of the city councils of American Fork, Alpine, Lehi, or Pleasant Grove can give individual voters more information. |