The possibility of a joint sewer venture between Genesee and Oakland counties has surfaced again, after nearly three years of little discussion.
Representatives from Ortonville, Brandon Township, Groveland Township and the Oakland County Drain Commission met with officials from Goodrich, Atlas Township and the Genesee County Drain Commission on Tuesday to discuss interest in a Kearsley Creek interceptor. The sanitary sewer interceptor, a large underground pipe that would collect wastewater and take it to a treatment plant, could be used in Kearsley Creek to service the east branch, which would go to Brandon Township and Ortonville, or the west branch, going to Groveland Township and Holly. Both branches could be served if there is enough interest from the communities invited to participate.
The venture is the same one discussed from three years ago, with one difference: Genesee County has now received enough money in their last grant appropriation cycle from the Army Corps of Engineers to get to a 15 percent design match. The grant for $6.7 million was received in 2000, said GCDC Director John O’Brien, but the money is appropriated only a small amount at a time. In the 2009 fiscal year, GCDC will get another $607,000 in grant money.
‘To go to the next step, we need Oakland County and Oakland County customers to fund the match to get through design,? O’Brien said.
Match funds needed are 25 percent of $607,000, meaning Oakland County and Ortonville, Brandon, Groveland and Holly are being asked to come up with $202,000 to complete design of the interceptor.
‘If everyone agrees, we would do the east and west branches,? O’Brien said. ‘We would build sewer pipes down this way so they could hook into the Genesee County wastewater treatment plant.?
The Oakland County Drain Commission and each community is now reviewing the preliminary design report and verifying the demands or amount of sewage they want delivered to the system to make a final decision on whether to proceed.
Atlas Township officials have previously said they are not interested in sewers for their area, but the pipes would go through the community to Ray Road at the county line.
The Village of Goodrich already has sewers, with the exception of Green Road residents.
‘If Atlas becomes involved, we could go down Green Road and pick up some of the village residents in that area, but if it’s going to cost the village, probably not,? said Village Administrator Jakki Sidge.
Groveland Township Supervisor Bob DePalma is interested in the interceptor for one reason? to facilitate the commercial development of the Grange Hall Road property currently owned by the township where a gravel pit is located. He called the concept ‘interesting,? but noted there were lots of questions still to be answered.
Perhaps most interested in the interceptor is the village of Ortonville. Leanne Panduren, Rowe Engineering project manager, attended the meeting representing the village, but said they won’t know whether they want to participate until they see the final numbers.
‘Genesee County wants to apply for additional grant money through the stimulus program and that could quickly change the numbers,? she said. ‘We would still have to build all the pipes within the village and a collection system in the village. If it’s not just the village or the village and the township, that also changes the numbers. There is still a cost to connect, it just becomes a question of what is more cost effective? building our own plant or connecting to Genesee County??
O’Brien said Genesee County has gone as far as they can for now. To move forward on the interceptor, officials need a financial commitment from the Oakland County communities and Drain Commission, which they hope to receive within the next three months. If they don’t receive that commitment, the grant money can be used for other projects in Genesee County.