The Bloomington Director of Operatons and Engineering Services says there’s not enough local funds for a massive sewer project so now the city is borrowing money from the state.
“Sewer and Stormwater funds don’t have sufficient money, as far as balances to be able to pay that large of a project so we are borrowing from the state revolving fund through the IEPA,” said Director of Operatons and Engineering Services Kevin Kothe.
The Locust Colton Sewer project will continue at an accelerated pace. The Bloomington City Council approved borrowing $18.2 million for Locust Colton Sewer work.
Up to $7.4 million will be borrowed from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Public Water Supply Loan Program and up to $10.8 Million from the IEPA Water Pollution Control Loan Program.
“The loan program for the water and pollution control allows cities to use low interest money subsidized through the federal Environmental Protection Agency so that we can afford to be able to do projects like Locust Colton,” said Kothe.
According to Kothe with Locust Colton Phases Four and Five the city used monies from the city’s general funds as well as American Rescue Plan Act funding to expedite those phases of the project.
Mayor Mwilambwe will execute loan application documents to construct a new water main and separate the combined sanitary and storm sewers. This project will complete Phases Eight and Nine of the Locust Colton Combined Sewer Separation project. Those two phases represent the remainder of the project.
Several Bloomington residents were upset that the infrastructure failed them in the June floods the city received in 2021. The standing sewage residents dealt with back then can be attributed to the consolidated sewer system that the city is now working to get rid of their consolidated sewer system with this nine-phased project.
Council also approved a $2 million contract with Clark Dietz for the design of Phases Eight and Nine.
The engineering consulting firm has worked with the city on the project doing studies and design work since 2005.
Phase Eight is an area south of Oakland Avenue and east of Mercer Avenue. Phase Nine is east of Colton Avenue and largely south of Locust Street. Design of Phase Eight is scheduled to start this year with construction scheduled for 2025. The design of Phase Nine is scheduled to begin immediately after the design of Phase 8 is completed with construction scheduled for 2026.
The city estimates that Phase 8 will cost a total of $9.5 million, with $4.3 million for water and $5.2 million for sewer. Phase 9 is estimated to cost $8.7 million, with $3.1 million for water and $5.6 million for sewer. The cost estimates include construction, engineering, legal expenses, financial expenses, land acquisition, and other related expenses.
The city is only expecting to borrow funds from PWS and WPC to cover the cost of construction. Other services are funded separately.
The city began construction on Phase Four and Phase Five of the project in July 2023. The cost of of those two phases is $10.8 million. Phases Four and Five are in the general vicinity of Oakland Avenue and Mercer Avenue. This work is being done by Stark Excavating.
Work on Phase Three was completed earlier this year. Phase Three consisted mostly of work in the vicinity of Olive Street and Moore Street.
“It’s exciting for Locust Colton Eight and Nine Phases together to be designed and knowing that once Nine is done we’re done,” said Kothe.
Kothe has been working for the city in engineering for over 35 years. The Locust Colton project has been one of the most important projects he has worked on during his career.
