Byrdstown To Begin Blasting As Part Of Settling Basin Project

Byrdstown preparing to start a blasting project as part of a larger plan to create a $3.8 million settling basin for the city.

Water Plant Superintendent Buster Harmon told Aldermen during their Monday meeting that the blasting is the next step as the city works to improve its wastewater system. Harmon said the crew handling the work has completed the necessary safety protocols and will begin on April 1.

“Our blasting crew, they got to go 500-foot radius and take a survey of all the homes in that 500-foot radius,” Harmon said. “So if they have to do blasting, they went in and took pictures of everything of all that Wednesday afternoon. So they got everybody covered on that, everybody’s happy with that.”

Mayor Sam Gibson said the project was delayed because the Kentucky-based Herrick Company had to perform additional duties before starting the job to account for differences in state laws. Gibson said the settling basin will serve as a long-term solution to recurring issues in the city’s water system.

“We’ve had to redo our settling ponds, and they continue to fall out,” Gibson said. “And the state is saying ‘You’re going to have to do something that’ll work and that’ll continue to be here.'”

Harmon said this project will not change where the city discharges its water.

“We’ve got that from the state of Tennessee,” Harmon said. “That’s what me and Nathaniel was talking about today down there. We’re going to discharge it back to that point there behind the plant, and it goes through a cover and comes out on the hillside down there.”

Gibson said this is the opportune time to begin such a big project.

“Anytime you start, like, in April you’ve got a big part of the best weather you’ve got in order to be able to work,” Gibson said.

Gibson said the project is being funded by American Rescue Plan funding.