New sewer line almost finished

New sewer line almost finished

Line will take pressure off main Marion lift station

news@theeveningtimes.com

Contractors laying a new force main sewer line from the Sartini pump station to the city’s sewer ponds have about a half-a-mile of line to go.

Marion Water and Sewer Manager Jim Shempert said contractors bored under the railroad tracks and all that remains is to lay the line from the southside of the railroad tracks to the ponds. “They are still laying some lines,” Shempert said.

The city accepted a $293,000 bid from B& B Utility to build a force main sewer line from Sartini Street pumping station to the city sewer pond.

A force main moves wastewater under pressure by using pumps located in a lift station, which then convey the water from a lower to a higher elevation.

The new sewer line will take pressure off the city’s main lift station by the city dog pound and Bayou Vista and allow for more pumping capacity and open up other parts of the city to development.

“It will take pressure off two different lift stations,” Shempert said.

Shempert said contractors are also waiting for the pump for the lift station to arrive.

“It was supposed to have shipped on Dec. 20,” Shempert said. “I’m sure the weather has been a factor.”

The new sewer line is about 1.5 miles long and is being paid for using leftover loan money from Arkansas Natural Resources from the city’s sewer line project to the Mississippi River.

By Mark Randall