(May 29, 2007)—A bill approved by the US House and Senate includes authorization for between $6 million and $10 million in federal assistance for one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in Charleston Water System’s history.
The Wastewater Tunnel Replacement Project began in 1998 after engineers discovered deterioration inside the 100-foot-deep tunnel system that carries wastewater to the Plum Island treatment plant. The deterioration caused sections of the tunnel to collapse, which threatened to block the flow of wastewater in the tunnel, causing concerns that it may result in sewer overflows.
“Replacing the deep wastewater tunnel system is the single most critical infrastructure project I’ve dealt with in my 22-year association with Charleston Water System,” said William E. Koopman, Jr., former general manager and current Commissioner for the public utility. “The collection and treatment of wastewater is truly an invisible service, but without it, we wouldn’t have near the quality of life we enjoy today.”
The tunnel system is being replaced in phases—the third and fourth phases are currently under construction. The total estimated cost of the Wastewater Tunnel Replacement Project is $212 million and is funded by revenue bonds issued in 1998, 2003, and 2006. The debt incurred by these bond issues is being repaid by sewer rates.
US Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressmen James Clyburn and Henry Brown helped secure funding authorization in the Senate and House versions of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill, respectively. The two versions of the bill will now go to conference committee to reconcile differences, and then back to both houses of Congress for approval before being sent to the President for his signature.
“This is a major milestone in our quest to obtain federal funding for this project,” said Kin Hill, P.E., Charleston Water System CEO. “And we wouldn’t be anywhere close to securing the project funding without Senator Graham and Congressmen Brown and Clyburn’s efforts, for which we are extremely thankful.”
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