Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that the Genesee County Drain Commission would receive $200,000 in the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2003. This funding will be used for the continued construction of the Northeast Relief Sewer/Kearsley Creek Interceptor. This is the second year of funding Kildee has acquired for the project. At Kildee’s request, it is expected that the project will continue to receive federal funding in future years.
“We must commit resources for proper waste management to ensure the health and safety of our residents,” said Kildee. “These funds will enable Genesee County to pursue a plan to restore the integrity of the sewer system by guaranteeing the efficient and secure removal of waste.”
The ultimate goal of this project is to construct 42 miles of sanitary sewer pipe and two pump stations in order to continue meeting the needs of the regional service area. The wastewater system now operating in Genesee County was constructed in 1964 with a projected capacity for 25 years. Currently, the County Agency has an overextended system that cannot meet projected flows as a result of the increased demand for adequate disposal in this region. Most importantly, this project will protect public health and the environmental health of local watersheds.
The Genesee County Drain Commissioner serves as the County Agency that provides sanitary sewer collection and treatment for 32 local municipalities covering six counties. This service area includes more than 680 square miles and provides service to over 180,000 residents and thousands of businesses and their employees. Based on strong regional cooperation among the counties, this system is the second largest service system in Michigan and one of the largest in the Midwest. |
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