• Sewer system located in the Towar area

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The study on the State Revolving Fund Draft Project mentioned at the last township board meeting is wrapping up. This grant, funded project is on the sewer systems and if approved, sewage users will see an increase in their sewage rates.

“We received a $900,000 grant to do the research, and now we’ve done it,” said Meridian Township Clerk, Brett Dreyfus.

The project studied the sewer systems to identify where there was "I and I," which is inflow and infiltration of storm water into the sanitary sewer system.

“So really the purpose of this study is just to identify problems that need to be fixed,” said Meridian Township Director of Public Works and Engineering, Raymond Severy. “As part of the project since it was a grant, we have to commit to doing at least the first year’s project.”

The expected cost of the sanitary sewer system project is $1 million and will be paid for directly by sewage users. If it is decided to not follow through with at least the first project, the grant money will have to be paid back, which officials say is more expensive than paying for the $1 million over five years.

“User fees will go up as a result to pay for this: probably about a five percent increase in sewer fees. Currently paying about $3.70 per thousand gallons, and it will go up to about $3.91,” said Dreyfus.

The rate change would take affect on January 1st for users that have sewer services through Meridian Township.

“Somebody asked the question, ‘well, will the rates go down after this project is finished?’ and the answer to that is, ‘no,’ because we adjust our rates every year, so this rate of five-and-a-half percent might be a little bit higher than we would expect because we try to keep it down to three to four, if we can,” said Severy.

Why raise the rates to fix something that doesn’t appear to be broken? Officials say we may not be able to see the problem because it’s below the surface.

Meridian Township Treasurer, Julie Brixie said, “The problem that we’re trying to fix right now with the grant that we received is groundwater and rainwater getting into the water treatment system and being treated.”

The project outlines five areas that need to be fixed, including fixing the main Towar area lift station and the Birchwood area, which has a sanitary sewer pipe and a storm water pipe that both have poor joints and are leaking into each other. The projects are expected to span five years, fixing one project every year.

Action on the State Revolving Fund Draft Project, or better known as the sanitary sewer system project, will take place at the June 17th Township Board meeting.