Winamac Wastewater Superintendent, Brad Zellers, came before the Winamac Town Board this week to report on the $5.2 million dollar sewer separation project. Zellers said the project is actually ahead of schedule and that all of the pipes are in the ground. The installation of some manholes and catch basins have yet to be completed. Also to be determined is if the compaction is adequate to pave the streets. IDEM rules are that the pipes must be in the ground 30 days before the paving can begin, which would put it in the middle of November.
A $3.3 million dollar federal grant was helpful in helping to fund the project. IDEM had mandated that the sewers had to be separated. One part was already complete, so when the grant money became available the second phase of the project was already “shovel ready.” That allowed the town to begin work a year earlier than planned.
The project completion schedule requires that the project be done before the end of the year, but Zellers said it will be done before that date. Grass seeding will be done next spring.
On a related subject, the town of Star City has begun laying pipe for their project to bring their sewage to Winamac for processing.
