BOC hears about sewerage proposal

The proposed system will include a treatment plant in the Comer area, which will process waste from the Hwy. 72 corridor and from Danielsville.

County and city leaders often say expanded sewerage services are necessary to attract more businesses to the county. But establishing sewerage services is costly and time consuming. And Madison County’s planning for such a system is still in its infancy.

Local engineer Chris Quigley has led discussions of the proposed system with leaders from various governing bodies in the county over the past couple of months.

And Quigley appeared before the BOC for the first time Nov. 1, informing commissioners that leaders from Danielsville, Colbert, Hull, Comer, the industrial authority and the school board have all agreed to fund an engineer’s study that is required before the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will discuss any grant options related to sewerage services. Each group agreed to pitch in $5,000 for the sewerage study.

“You have to do some up front stuff just to get to the table,” said Quigley.

The BOC tabled any action on the proposal Monday, agreeing to study information presented before making a decision.

“I recommend we have no vote tonight and just let it soak in,” said BOC chairman Anthony Dove.

Quigley said the Comer area would be appropriate for a sewage treatment facility, since it is the lowest area of the county. He said the facility could treat roughly 250,000 gallons of sewage a day initially, with more capacity added as needed later.

“Treatment facilities are laid out to expand,” said Quigley.

Commissioner Mike Youngblood asked whether the sewerage system would serve both commercial and residential customers.

Quigley said the system could serve both, but he said there couldn’t be guarantees to particular customers at this point.

“You have to look at that on a case-by-case basis,” said Quigley, noting that such decisions depend on whether enough people in a given area are willing to sign up to make it economically feasible. “We want to serve the most folks for the least amount of money.”

Commissioner Bruce Scogin asked Quigley where the 250,000 gallons of water per day for sewerage services would come from.

“Right now, it would come from the two cities (Danielsville and Comer) that produce about 100,000 gallons a day,” said Quigley.

The engineer has noted that both Danielsville and Comer already need major sewerage work. The Danielsville system serves the schools in the town. And renovations of the Danielsville system are estimated at $2 million. Tying the Comer and Danielsville systems together with a joint treatment plant is seen as a potential cost saver, when compared with the price of both cities funding their own sewerage overhauls.

Commissioners did not inquire about costs Nov. 1. But in an August meeting with county and city leaders in August, Quigley estimated that the Madison County proposal would run between $6 million to $9 million, but he said a large portion of that could be covered through grants and low-interest loans. Quigley said he believed the county could potentially get $4 million from the USDA.

The BOC plans to send out letters to county residents to seek their input on the proposal. They will also include a map of the proposed sewerage service area, which is primarily the Hwy. 72 corridor, as well as a petition for those interested in sewerage services to sign and return to the county.

County resident Jim Warren took the podium at the end of Monday’s meeting after Quigley left. He was not impressed by the plans. He questioned where the county would get the water for the sewerage services and expressed general dismay with grant funding.

“There’s no such thing as a grant of public funds, for there are none,” said Warren. “This is what Mr. Quigley was asking for a grant to pay him I suppose for a study … Grants are the most insidious form of taxation. Free money attracts those with dubious concepts in both engineering and executions. It adds costs without providing additional benefits.”