Baxter Takes Initial Steps To Address Utilities Concern With Rapid Growth

The City of Baxter has taken steps to address utility concerns with rapid city growth.

City Engineer Tom Bennett said that the work will include preliminary designs and opinions for probable costs for the I-40 Interchange Sewer System Forcemain. He said that project is in response to the proposed development near the interstate.

“So it’s really to get into a little bit more detail with understanding the long-term system impacts from the interstate,” Bennett said. “And then looking at a project that would take those flows and direct them right to the sewer plant instead of directing it into the Baxter system.”

Bennett said they will also analyze the Baxter Interceptor Capacity. He said that this work will look at the main waterline in detail, checking its capacity, possible pinch points, and other factors to facilitate city growth.

Bennett said that the projects aren’t large in scale. He said that he expects them to be completed within the first quarter of the year.

“Really these are preemptive strikes here to get a look at this stuff before it becomes a problem,” Bennett said. “You know you can’t always catch all of them, but things that we know and taking some smart steps right now can make sure that Baxter is primed and ready for the projects that are coming.”