Celina’s Sewer Headworks Project More Expensive Than Anticipated

Celina will be spending another $33,000 towards its headworks sewer project due to increased construction costs.

Mayor Luke Collins said the ARC grant paying for majority of the work has reached funding capacity leaving the price difference for the city to cover.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow,” Collins said. “Nobody likes to spend more money, but under the circumstances, I really don’t see any other choice we have.”

Aldermen Justin Rich said the project needs to move forward so the city’s sewer moratorium can be lifted. The headworks project is the first step in addressing bypass/overflow issues at wastewater plant.

Collins said if the Board did not cover the cost, other grants that the city has applied for would be for nothing.

“If we do not fix that portion for it, the other grants are really a waste of time also,” Collins said. “Because if it is not fixed at this point, it really doesn’t matter to do it down the line.”

This is the second time the Board of Aldermen has approved an extra payment towards the project. In June, an additionally $43,000 was spent due to bids coming in over budget. Celina now has about $190,000 invested with about $500,000 of grant funding.

“Any other time I would be pretty skeptical, but based on the situation with inflation and the labor shortage and COVID and the information given to us today, I do believe it is legitimate,” Collins said.

The headworks project has a major role in the timing of the Clay County Jail since the facility would new new sewer connections.