Plant construction delayed by leak
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
DECATUR ó A crack in the rock below the hole dug for the wastewater treatment plant has posed some problems for the construction of Decaturís new plant.
City utilities manager James Boston told the city council at the Aug. 11 meeting that water is flooding up through a crack in the bottom of the hole.
Boston said it could possibly indicate a cavern underneath the construction site, but it most likely is caused by creek water finding a way in from the nearby Decatur Branch Creek which flows around the plant.
He explained that, when the pumps which constantly empty the hole are turned off, the pit fills up to six feet deep, about the same level as the creek.
Boston said, before construction began, core drilling was done in various locations around the footing of the new plant to make sure there were no caves and nothing was found. But the drilling was very expensive, and it didnít include the whole area.
Boston said he will be meeting with Mayor Bill Montgomery and the project engineers to find out what the options are. He expects to call a special city council meeting in the next few weeks to present the findings to council members.
Meanwhile, Crossland Construction is working to fill in the hole, half-way back up. Boston said it will cost $ 200, 000 to have the company pack up and leave and then come back when a solution is found. It will only cost $ 180, 000 to fill in the hole half-way. Core drilling to check for a cavern would be much more expensive, he said.
The council will have to decide if it will be better to build the plant half underground or completely above ground. Right now the engineers are crunching the numbers so they can clearly present the options to the council.
The project is expected to exceed the contingency fund set aside for such emergencies, but additional financing is expected to be available.
In other business, Montgomery told council members that he is positive about the future of Decatur, even though the town has faced problems over the summer, such as the school issues, the loss of the Black and Decker plant and the cityís tightening budget.
Montgomery said real estate developers are watching Decatur. The town has a lot to offer with two major highways, a central location and a railroad, he said.
ě Give us a good five years... I think we can keep our heads above water; Iím positive about it, î Montgomery said.
Fire Chief David Flynt said the new JAWS of life equipment for which the city received a grant should be here by the next city council meeting.
Flynt reported the fire departmentís part in the Decatur Barbecue went well, and that the fire department issued two $ 500 fines for calls to residences for which fire dues had not been paid.
Charles Linam reported that the city should be getting a $ 3, 700 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to improve the concrete bridge on the north side of the chicken plant.
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