Grants Pass Public Works gives sewage improvement presentation

The City of Grants Pass is considering several options to upgrade the city’s outdated sewer system and they’re all costly.

The most inexpensive option coming in at 11 million dollars.

Public sewage was a central talking point of the grants pass city council’s weekly  workshop Monday.

The city’s public works department says its 50 year old system is reaching the end of its effective lifetime.

As we’ve observed what’s been going on, we’ve been watching this problem develop. We’re trying to get ahead of that problem so we can manage it before it becomes much more serious,” says Canady.

Grants Pass Public Works Director Jason Canady presented the ideas to the council Monday.

He says taking steps now will benefit the community in the years to come.

He says waste pump stations like this one… The Darneille Station… Isn’t capable of handling the rapid growth of the redwoods area.

“All of their sewage is collected to a pump station, that station then conveys that waste back to the city’s one treatment plant… That conveyance system does become occasionally overwhelmed.”

The presentation included different options for council to consider, ranging from 11 to 30 million dollars.

One option is to build a bridge over the rogue river with pipes attached underneath.

Another is a pump being built under the river.

A 30 million dollar storage tank at the redwood site is also being considered.

But city staff say it’ll be a huge benefit to the city.

“We can send our affluent down for crop watering. Which is an awesome alternative. If we can do that, our farmers benefit, we benefit, we wont be putting warm water into the river… it’s just a win-win for everybody,” says Grants Pass Water Restoration Plant Superintendent.

Public works says the decision to move forward and when is in the council’s hands.

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