KANDIYOHI -- Kandiyohi Mayor Craig Aurand says he's proud of the city's new wastewater pipeline and pumping system and is pleased that most of the cost was covered by federal stimulus funds.
"We were probably 60 percent of the way in our engineering design and they said if we can get a shovel in the ground by Aug. 1, you can have it. We scrambled and we got it done. We were really, really thrilled about this,'' Aurand said.
Federal stimulus money provided $2.9 million toward the $3.4 million cost of 13½ miles of 8-inch-diameter pipe constructed in county road right of way from the old treatment plant in Kandiyohi to the Green Lake Sanitary Sewer and Water District plant at Spicer. The project included construction of two pumping stations and demolition of Kandiyohi's old plant.
The Kandiyohi wastewater treatment facility was built in 1947 and was overhauled in 1992. The effluent produced by the plant complied with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regulations. But Aurand said the plant for the city of 555 had reached its design limits.
"We couldn't expand anymore. We just had to make a move,'' Aurand said.
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Two years ago, the city started looking at different options and eventually proceeded with the option of connecting to the Green Lake system.
"We were happy that the county commissioners were in support of that and the Green Lake sewer board welcomed us,'' he said. "This is the largest municipal project the city of Kandiyohi has ever had,'' Aurand said.
Bolton & Menk Inc. of Willmar did the engineering and design work. Quam Construction of Willmar broke ground in June 2009; construction was completed this summer; and the city began pumping two to three weeks ago. The old plant remains to be demolished. The city is awaiting approval for the work from MPCA.
Aurand said the city's share of the cost will be paid with user rates. Also, the pipeline route passes Diamond Lake and residents there will have the opportunity to tie into the city's system.
Aurand said the project went well.
"We're pretty proud of the system,'' he said. "We were very fortunate we were at the right place at the right time.''
