City to accept grant for water plant upgrades, funds for sewer repairs

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Critical upgrades to the city's Wastewater Treatment Facility are expected to move forward pending acceptance of a $2.1 million grant from city councilmembers this evening.

Monday's city council agenda includes an ordinance to accept the grant from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the blower replacement project at the Water Protection Facility on Stockyards Expressway.

The existing blowers and electrical equipment are well past their useful life and need to be replaced as soon as possible. The grant is distributed by the Corps as part of the 2022 Water Resources Development Act.

Councilmembers are also expected to approve a $963,891 work order with SAK Construction for sewer main repairs at various locations across the city.

Repairs will be carried out using cured-in-place pipe lining, a valuable tool for repairing aging, defective sewer mains that are still structurally intact. The alternative method is open-cut construction, which involves digging pipe out and replacing it, which often causes significant damage to surface improvements and traffic delays.

Councilmembers will vote on two separate ordinances to accept payments from Lehr Construction ($15,889) and TownePlace Suites ($9,778) for preliminary planning services for development of a planned $7.5 million hotel on North Woodbine and a new $12.5 million Mosaic Specialty Care Clinic, both facilities are in the early phases of development and expected to move forward.

News-Press NOW will update this story.