MOUNT VERNON — Pleasant View Acres’ wastewater treatment plant upgrade is substantially complete and connected to the system as of June 6.
The contractor, Workman Industrial, started construction in October 2023 and was to substantially complete the work by April 1. That failed to happen, and the contractor has paid $600 a day in liquidated damages since then.
Liquidated damages totaled around $40,000 on the $2.2 million project.
“Liquidated damages stopped last Thursday, and the new system connected last Thursday to the plant. So we are not putting any more water into the lagoons,” Jeff Pickrell, director of the Knox County Water/Wastewater District, told the commissioners on Thursday.
“I am proud of it. It’s really nice-looking. I appreciate you letting us use the ARPA money for it.”
The county will consolidate two electric services to the plant.
“I am curious to see what our electric bill will be with the new plant. I think it will be less,” Pickrell said.
Pickrell said the transition has been seamless for the 47 houses in the Pleasant View Acres subdivision.
The new plant can process 8,000 to 10,000 gallons of wastewater daily, nearly double the capacity PVA needs. It also has the capacity to extend service to Amity.
Rather than going into retention lagoons, wastewater now goes into a clarifier. The solids sink to the bottom, and the water rises to the top. After being treated, the water is discharged into Little Schenck Creek.
The county will drain and fill in the old lagoons.
Wellfield upgrade
The Knox County Water/Wastewater District is awaiting word from the Ohio Department of Development on a $2.48 million grant to upgrade the county’s wellfield on Pipesville Road.
Improvements include fencing, drilling a new well, and adding a booster pump station.
The booster pump station would reduce pressure on the existing wells and increase pumping capacity. Adding Well #7 would also increase production and add redundancy (backup) to the system.
“We’ve identified the location for Well #7, and the EPA has approved that location,” Pickrell told the commissioners. “We’re hoping to get grant money for the well and the fencing.”
The fencing project, which will cost between $125,000 and $150,000, will soon go out to bid.
Commissioner Thom Collier said if the county gets grant money for the new well, the project will be done sooner rather than later. However, he said if the grant money does not come through, it is not an urgent situation requiring immediate drilling.
The wellfield is the county’s only source of water.
“We have about 3,700 connections, and we are growing leaps and bounds. We’re putting in about 50 connections each year,” Pickrell said.
Another project on tap is a complete rehab of the Northridge pump station, which Pickerel said has been having problems. Staff will talk with homeowners about the project before starting work.
Pickrell said staff members have completed two-thirds of the copper and lead line mapping.
As part of its lead requirements, the Environmental Protection Agency requires communities to identify the material used for the line from the meter to the house. The goal is to map areas with lead fixtures so communities do the proper lead and copper sampling.
The report is due in August.
911
Operations Director Laura Webster updated the commissioners on the center’s activity for May. Calls for service are up.
Legislative action
The commissioners took the following actions on June 13:
- Rescinded and replaced Resolution #2024-240 dated March 19, 2024, Roadway Use and Maintenance Agreement for Solar Projects and Infrastructure between the Knox County Board of Commissioners, the Board of Clinton Township Trustees, the Board of Miller Township Trustees, and Frasier Solar I, LLC.
- Approved an independent contractor agreement for information technology services with the Village of Gambier at $50 per hour
- Approved an agreement between The Knox County Board of Commissioners, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and Mental Health and Recovery for Licking and Knox Counties for supporting the Behavioral Health Service Coordinator position
- Accepted an agreement between Knox County Department of Job and Family Services – Ohio Means Jobs and Graceland College Center for Professional Development and Lifelong Learning, Inc., for SkillPath eLearning subscription services.
- Approved a sub-grant agreement for Program Year 2024 and 2025 between Knox County Department of Job and Family Services – Ohio Means Jobs and the Greater Ohio Workforce Board for Workforce Development Services
- Approved an amendment to the contract between Knox County Department of Job and Family Services – Ohio Means Jobs and NESCO Resource LLC, for payroll services
