Rogersville seeks Clean Water funds for project

Construction on the new $2.2 million sewer treatment plant in Rogersville is expected to begin in late September, according to David Cavender, project engineer with Scott Consulting Eng-ineers PC.

Bids have been accepted from McClanahan Construction to build the new plant at an approximate cost of $2 million, and TT&T Contracting Inc. has contracted to install sewer lines for an additional $200,000, Cavender stated.

The project is now on hold until the Sept. 19 meeting of the Missouri Clean Water Commission, according to Ro-gersville City Administrator Larry Mar-tin.

"We are asking for an increase in the state phosphorus removal grant to help pay for the increased cost in that section of the project," Martin said.

"We're determined to get the money," Martin added. "We don't have a backup plan if we don't."

Assuming construction begins on schedule, the completion date is set for the summer of 2002, he said.

Sewer treatment is an important issue for the growing community. Cavender quoted government statistics showing Rogersville's population at 987 in 1990 and 1,390 in 1998, a 41 percent increase during that time period, he said.

Projections for the next 20 years indicate the town could grow to between 3,000 and 6,000 residents.

"I think a lot of people have started looking east to Rogersville because rapid growth to the south in Ozark and Nixa has created heavy traffic in those areas," Cavender said.

Like the other fast-growing communities around Springfield, Rogersville has outgrown its 15-year-old sewer treatment system.

To comply with strict state government regulations, systems built in the James River Basin must have phosphorus- and nitrogen-removal systems, which add to the cost of the project.

"This is a typical system for the James River Basin area," Cavender said.

Rogersville is not actually on the James River, Cavender added.

It is on Sawyer Creek, but the city's runoff eventually ends up in the James River.

Cavender said the city will be using everything possible from the old system to keep down the cost.

Sewer bills in Rogersville are already high because of the cost of the old system, and rates will increase again with the new system.

"We've been real honest with people about the cost involved," Martin said. "If we do the project, which is necessary, the rates will go up."

Residents have been receptive to the project, voting in favor of a $1 million general obligation bond issue and a $1 million revenue bond issue that will increase the usage rates.

Rogersville is either the 31st or 32nd fastest-growing town in the state of Missouri, Martin said.

Although the new plant is the largest facility the Department of Natural Resources will allow the community to build and is triple the size of the old plant, it still may not be enough if the city continues to grow at its current rate. For this reason, the new plant is designed for expansion, unlike the old plant that must be replaced completely, Martin stated.

"In the future, we won't be tearing anything out, just adding equipment," he said.

Cavender designed a similar system for Republic prior to the Rogersville project.

Before he began the Republic project he looked at a number of other systems in other states.

"We were focusing on a particular brand of equipment and called to check with other towns using the equipment," he said.

Installation of the new plant is a big project for a town the size of Rogersville, according to Cavender, but population growth apparently warrants the project, he said.

Rogersville has two new subdivisions platted with a total of 400 lots between the two.

This could accommodate approximately 1,100 new residents to the community, Cavender said. There will undoubtedly be more down the road, he added.