Sewer water work done and under budget

The Littleton Town Board of Commissioners was pleased with a report from Dennis Patton, from the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments that the Community Development Block Grant-Economic Development (CDBG-ED) awarded to the town has been completed $1,774.47 under budget. 

Present at the meeting were Mayor Hawfield, Commissioners Betty Willis, Terry Newsom and Al Cooke plus Patton and the Observer.

After opening the meeting and reading a prepared notice of the purpose of the meeting the mayor then turned the meeting over to Patton for a report on the Grant. He then reported to the board that the work under the grant was completed last month. 

The grant money was used to install 10,878 linear feet of sewer lines along with the repair of one lift station and the construction of an additional lift station. The linear footage mentioned above includes the installation of service line and hook up to 34 low and moderate-income dwellings free of charge.  They were also able to install a backup generator to ensure that the system will continue to operate even if the power goes off. 

Commissioner Betty Willis applied for a grant in 2003 and was subsequently turned down. The town was allowed to reapply in 2005.  The second application was approved for $722,000 to repair 8,000 linear feet of sewer lines.  With good bidding and oversight on the project town officials were able to add on the extra sewer lines and another lift station and still stay under budget.

According to Willis by coming in under budget and returning the money to the state they will create a positive image that could bear on the success of future requests. Willis told the board the state seldom gets money back. Most of the time the municipalities that receive funds end up having to ask for additional money to complete the project. 

“This grant was completed last month and successfully dealt with the predominant severe needs as well as the moderate needs described in the grant application; thus, the town accomplished its mission of this grant. All of the grant funds were expended to install the improvements except for $1,774.47,” Patton told the board. 

The area served included Bacon Road from Mclver Elementary School south to the vicinity of the new pump station; all of Cheeter Street and Catmint Lane; and most of East End Ave. 

The closeout documentation the town submitted includes the description of the demographics of those who benefited from the improvements. Eighty-six percent of the households were low and moderate income and 98 percent were African-American residents.

The installation of the new generator is important so the system will operate if the power goes out. If the system would not operate and sewage would back up into the area the town could face heavy fines. Willis told the Observer last month that “The generator will help prevent backflow and overflow. If power were to go out at the plant the generator will automatically cut on within 10 seconds.”

To ensure the generator operates when needed, it has scheduled times when it will turn on and run self tests throughout the month. The generator cost $130,000 and was primarily paid for with funds from this grant. 

The board voted to close out the report and then went into a town meeting. The purpose of the town meeting was to give the mayor the authority to sign the completed report so it can be submitted along with the left over funds to the state. 

The board recently approved $283,680 upgrade to the east end portion of the town’s water and sewer system that serves customers just outside the town limits. Most of the money for the upgrade came from a grant from the North Carolina Division of Community Assistance.

Earlier this month Hawfield stated, “regardless of the town boundaries, the folks living in the area to be upgraded are on town water and sewer lines and are customers of the town’s water and sewer system.”

The mayor said the town supplies this service to those customers, who pay a higher rate than in-town residents for water and sewer service. He said the town generates revenue from these customers, and is obligated to make necessary repairs and upgrades. Ninety-five percent of the pipes in the east end area are more than fifty years old. 

The town also is in the process of upgrading the water lines to homes in the same area. According to a statement made at a previous town meeting many of the water lines in that area are inadequate, causing low water pressure for customers. He also said because of the low water pressure, there weren’t as many fire hydrants in the neighborhood as local officials would like.

Of particular concern, he said, was the fact that there was no valve in the water system to prevent back flow from the homes. That means that, under the right conditions, water could flow from the homes back into the town water line, thus contaminating the entire water system.

The new grant will pay for the installation of new six-inch lines and new two-inch lines, which should alleviate all of the water pressure problems. It will also allow for the town to put in the proper equipment to prevent back flow from the homes.

Willis has been instrumental in obtaining other grants to upgrade all of the town’s water and wastewater systems. Through her stewardship the town has been granted more than $4.3 million dollars for improving the various town water systems.