City advances plans for new sewer plant

City commissioners are inching closer to making a decision about the location of the city’s next sewer plant.

City Manager Mike Wildgen currently is evaluating proposals from four engineering companies seeking to conduct a site study to determine where along the Wakarusa River a sewer plant should be built. Wildgen said he hoped that city commissioners would be in a position to select a company by the end of June. He said an actual site for the plant would not be chosen for nine to 15 months.

The plant, which is scheduled to come on line by 2010, will be one of the larger city construction projects in recent history. The total cost of the plant is expected to be $80 million to $100 million. The plant is needed to allow continued residential and commercial growth in the city, and is expected to make possible large-scale development south of the Wakarusa River.

City commissioners in December approved new sewer rates which will increase the bills of many typical users by 15 percent to 20 percent, in part to help pay for the new plant.

Government

City defers sidewalk dining, smoking issues

Lawrence city commissioners no longer are scheduled to discuss issues related to sidewalk dining guidelines and changes to the city’s smoking ordinance at their meeting tonight.

The issues have been deferred to an undetermined date after several members of the public asked for more time to study the issues.

Commissioners meet at 6:35 p.m. today at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

Public health

Boil order lifted in Jefferson County

A boil order instituted last week for Jefferson County residents in the area of Lake Dabinawa was lifted Saturday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The order was put into effect because Jefferson Rural Water District Plant 13 lost pressure in a water main break and an electrical outage during a storm. Bacteriological sampling and testing have been completed and there was no evidence of bacteria in the water system.