Fulton residents may see cleaner water soon. Residents yesterday voted in favor of a $13 million bond to upgrade its sewer system. The wastewater treatment facility was built in 1987 and is in need of mandatory improvements according to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. According to the city’s website, the improvements comprise of new headworks, a new aeration system and an ultraviolet light for disinfection. The city has already begun the process of improving the facility.
“Our engineering firm with the city is working with that and they are working with architects and engineers as we speak to get this thing underway as soon as possible,” Councilman Richard Vaughn said.
Since the EPA regulations are mandatory, the upgrades would have to be completed with or without the bond.
“We felt this was a better way for the citizens to pay for the regulations through a bond issue because our rates wouldn’t have to increase as fast as they would if it hadn’t have passed,” Vaughn said.
The EPA’s mandate requires aspects of the project to be completed within a year and a half, so the city hopes to fully complete it by August 2016.