The Newark Village Board has decided to explore their financing options for upgrades at two pump stations in the village that are in dire need of repair.
The Maple Avenue and Marie Avenue pump stations are in need of an upgrade, but the village board is uncertain just how to pay for both of them. Pump stations sit at low points, collect waste water and direct it to the waste water treatment plant. Newark has pump stations throughout the village, but the two in question are what one trustee called “relics.”
The problem came to a head a few weeks ago when both the Maple Avenue and Marie Avenue pump stations quit working and water began backing up into homes.
The Maple Avenue pump station serves only four homes and the upgrade is a simple fix with a price tag of $25,000 to $35,000, Mayor Jonathan Taylor said at the board’s regular meeting Tuesday night, February 21st.
The Marie Avenue pump station serves Windsong Terrace and is the larger of the two proposed projects. Right now the wet well is too small, making maintenance difficult. Add to that the fact that one pump is new, the other is being fixed and the station breaks down often, and it was determined it needs an upgrade. The board has been given two options: use the existing wet well and spend $50,000 to $75,000 making upgrades, or make the wet well bigger as part of the upgrades at a cost of $125,000 to $175,000.
With about $50,000 left in the contingency budget from the upgrade at the waste water treatment plant, representatives from MRB Group told the board they could complete the Maple Avenue upgrade, but not the other without financing.
Taylor noted the village has grant money totaling $745,000 that could be used for the upgrades at both pump stations, but that money was slated to help fund the sewer line replacement on South Main Street. The board discussed possible financing options, but ultimately determined they needed more information before making a final decision on how to proceed. The matter will be brought before the board again during their next meeting on March 21st.
By Tammy Whitacre
