News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Byrdstown Mayor Sam Gibson said he expects to break ground on a new concrete settling basin for the water treatment plant within the next month or two.
The new basin will replace setting ponds used by the city to allow silt, dirt and trash to settle at the bottom of the pond before it is treated. The pond utilizes a linear and rocks instead of concrete like the new basin. Gibson said the new basin will allow the city to stop funneling money into repairing the three settling ponds.
“We’d spend thousands of dollars to repair them and we’ve done that two or three times since I’ve been here, and they seem like, ‘hey, we’ll put a bigger liner, we’ll put more rock, we’re going to try and make sure this thing lasts this time’ and within six months it falls out,” Gibson said.
Gibson said he met with contractors on Friday, and it looks like construction will begin around spring. He said he expects to have the $3.8 million project completed by the fall.
“Today, we’ll sign all of our papers and get everything signed,” Gibson said. “They generally will start somewhere between 30 to 60 days, which is perfect timing for this project, because it’s concrete, outside work, so this will be perfect for them.”
The Byrdstown City Council approved the use of ARP funds for this project back in September.
“We’ve been working on this, you know, it basically came out with COVID money, ARP money, grant money back three or four years ago, but you know, the way things are it just takes things a long time to get things going, to get things done,” Gibson said.
Gibson said the settling ponds have caused issues for the city for going on 10 years. He called the settling basin a huge improvement to the water treatment plant.
