Date
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Time
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location Name
KICC M101/102 (Level 1)
Name
GMWSS's Marvel: Funding, Collaboration, System Efficacy, Transforming Communities, & Unlocking Growth
Track
Collections
Description

Georgetown, KY, located in ScottCounty and driven by the Toyota Manufacturing Plant and its proximity to Lexington, KY, has emerged as the fastest-growing county and city in Kentucky. This rapid growth has strained the existing sanitary collections system, hindering further development. At the southern outskirts of the county, approximately a mile beyond the city limits, a 500-unit-mobile-home-park(MHP) relies on two failing package wastewater treatment plants. The City of Georgetown(City) and Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Service(GMWSS) engaged Hazen-and-Sawyer(Hazen) to assess the current sanitary collection systems in both the City and MHP, seeking a comprehensive solution to address the MHP's wastewater treatment needs and enhance capacity on the south side of the City. Following a thorough evaluation and discussions with the City- and-GMWSS, the chosen alternative comprises two main components: 1)implementing new onsite sanitary sewer collection improvements within the MHP, replacing outdated~1960s clay sewers with known inflow and infiltration(I/I) issues, and 2)executing offsite conveyance improvements, including an interceptor sewer, pump station, force main discharging into the GMWSS system, and upgrades to an existing GMWSS pump station. The selected project not only eliminated three pump stations initially but also set the groundwork in Phase II for the removal of an additional four pump stations, enhancing capacity for ongoing growth in the southeast section of GMWSS's collection system. Despite being in discussion and planning for over two decades within the City, the project only gained momentum when all necessary elements aligned. The project involved a complex mix of funding sources, such as KIA-SRF (0.5%interest loan and$1M principal forgiveness), 319(h)non-point-source-grant, private funding, local contributions(City and Scott County), adjacent FayetteCounty funding, and a HouseBill Grant. Each funding source brought its own set of requirements and regulations, and collaboration among stakeholders(MHP Owner, Corporate Lawyers, City, KYDivision-of-Water(KDOW), GMWSS, Scott County Fiscal Court, and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government(LFUCG)) was crucial. User Agreements and general agreements between the City, GMWSS, and MHP Owner had to be in place for the project to proceed to advertisement. Hazen, leveraging its experience with diverse funding sources and clients, navigated this intricate landscape, enabling the City and GMWSS to overcome challenges that had stalled progress for over 20years. The project was advertised and awarded in April2021, with construction commencing in September2021. The South Sewer Extension(SSE) project involves installing approximately 41,000LF of 8-inch to 27-inch gravity sewers, 129precast manholes, 12,000LF of 12-inch-and-18-inch force mains, service connections to approximately 500residential units, 50,000LF of 6-inch sanitary lateral pipe, four,42-inch tunnels under roads, demolition of three existing pump stations(PS), modifications to 1-PS, and a new-6mgd(expandable to 9mgd in the future) submersible fourplex pump station. The two existing failing package-wastewater-treatment-plants(WWTPs) within theMHP, among the most non-compliant in Kentucky, will be decommissioned upon project completion. With over two years into construction, significant progress has been made, the new PS is online, both PWWTPs are demolished, all manholes and pipe is installed and over 320laterals and mobilehomes have been connected.