(3/13) The Emmitsburg commissioners were briefed at their March meeting regarding the status of water and sewer infrastructure-related … which are currently underway, or soon will be.

Town Manager Cathy Willets reported the status of two significant infrastructure projects, beginning with the acquisition of a new water-clarifier for the Crystal Fountain Road Water Plant.

The purpose of the water clarifier is to treat and improve the raw water quality flowing into the wastewater treatment plant, with the main objectives being to reduce the damage to the plant’s equipment, as well for reducing the millions of gallons of reservoir water being wasted by backwashing the system.

"There’s been a lot of different things in print in the newspaper and other places, so basically - this is the main purpose of the clarifier," she stated.

The cost of the new clarifier is estimated at $1.4 million, $1 million of which is in the state's capital budget, meaning the state will provide the funds when the budget goes into effect June 1.

As for the remaining $400,000 shortfall needed for the clarifier, Willets told the commissioners that it would be up to town-staff to find those funds. "The mayor is in discussions with two banks to possibly get ‘gap (shortfall) finding’ … if not, it would be funded through the town," she said.

Willets stated that the estimated date of completion of the acquisition and installation of the new clarifier would be July 2022.

Regarding the Creamery Road Pump Station replacement, Willets said the need for the construction of a new pump station resulted from several raw sewage spills that had occurred over the course of the last three years, and that had resulted in spillages amounting to 125,000 gallons, of which the largest was 68,500 gallons lost in September 2018.

The September spill made its way into Flat Run Creek – caused by a "failing pump station which had been built in 1964 with no bypass capabilities,’ Willets stated.

The estimated cost for the new pumping station is $3.657,000, of which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be providing a grant for $833,000 and a loan for $1,987,000, and the town will be responsible for securing the funding for the $807,000 shortfall.

Willets stated that the design for the new facility is presently 65-percent complete. Upon completion, the USDA must then approve the design. Upon approval, the project will then go out to bid for construction, with the hope that construction could begin by the end of this year.