The Eldon Board of Aldermen agreed to seek grant and loan funding for improvements to its wastewater system.
The city will submit a grant and loan application to the Missouri Water and Wastewater Review Committee and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, MECO Engineering senior engineer Byron Shaw said.
The current wastewater system, located at 901 N. Eastview Drive, was designed to handle 1 million gallons per day and is 35 years old. Wastewater treatment plant improvements will be located adjacent to the existing location.
An update was given at the Board of Aldermen meeting Tuesday. MECO Engineering revised the facility plan to include inflow and infiltration information.
The company recommended the Orbal System, an oxidation ditch extended aeration system, where stormwater flows exceeding the peak flows would be stored in stormwater basins, Shaw said.
“Approximately $2 million of inflow and infiltration improvements to the collection system were added to the project,” Shaw said.
Those changes increased the estimated cost from $17.19 million to $20.21 million.
The company recommended the city use Rural Development grant funds, which could cover up to 50 percent of the total project costs, according to the project summary.
Funds would be based on the population and median household income.
Changes to the system will increase the base rate for customers.
The base charge is $26.88 with a $1.91 added per 1,000 gallons used, according to the project summary.
“If the city receives the anticipated grants and loans, the anticipated user charge would be approximately $60.95 per month, which is an increase of approximately $26.43,” Shaw said.
In a schedule of completion listed in the summary, the city would place a bond issue on the April 2020 ballot, receive grant funding in January 2021 and start construction in August 2022.