STARKVILLE — It was Tuesday evening at the Starkville Board of Aldermen meeting. Consultant Mike Slaughter was going over the estimated costs of providing city services to the two areas targeted under the city’s revised annexation plan, when he noted there would be no costs for sewer infrastructure in Area B of the plan, the largest, most heavily populated of the two areas located east of Mississippi State University.
A murmur of protest swept through standing-room-only boardroom.
How, they wondered, could the city possibly provide sewer for the hundreds of homeowners who have relied on septic systems for their sewer?
Dwight Prisock, who had been sitting quietly in the boardroom, had the answer to that question.
“A lot of people who live in the area already have access to sewer. Some of them just don’t know it,” said Prisock, manager of East Oktibbeha Wastewater Treatment District (EOWTD). “When we formed the district, residents were given the choice to join or stay with their septic systems. A lot of people did and some people didn’t.”
The EOWTD was formed in 2009, taking over several smaller districts while expanding sewer funded by $4.5 million in loans and grants through the United States Department of Agriculture in 2011.
EOWTD currently has 1,369 service addresses, which includes every housing unit or business in its area.
In August, EOWTD will expand its service, again through a USDA grant, this time for $5.3 million. That grant will allow EOWTD to run sewer lines, including access in Sheely Hills and University Estates and along Old Mayhew and 16th Section roads.
“We’ve added 377 customers,” Prisock said. “That’s people who have signed up so far. This won’t cover everyone, but once the main lines are in place, they can connect, although they may have to fund their own connection to the main line.”
In that respect, Prisock said, annexation won’t have any different effect on residents’ access to sewer than is does now.
In 2013, EOWTD entered into an inter-local agreement with Mississippi State University and Starkville to use their facilities for the transport and disposal of sewage carried in its lines. That agreement will remain in place regardless of whether the city annexes the areas.
“This is not going to be an additional cost for the city,” said Starkville Utilities General Manager Terry Kemp. “The infrastructure isn’t something we’ll have to fund. That’s funded through (EOWTD).”
Prisock said engineering, bidding and contract approvals for the expansion typically take about a year. The size and nature of the project determines how long the actually work will take, he said.
The board of aldermen will hold its third public hearing on the annexation during its July 16 meeting.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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