Fairhope Eyes Sewer Improvements

Fairhope officials hope to submit plans to the Alabama Department of Conservation this month for approval of sewer improvements, GulfCoastNewsToday.com reports. Mayor Sherry Sullivan said city officials have been working to acquire $10 million in Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) Act funds “to upgrade the sewer, manholes that people always ask questions about,” Sullivan explained. He anticipates an end to the RESTORE Act funding process soon. Andy Bobe, project manager for Dewberry Engineers, Inc., said three sewer system projects are planned using the funds. These include lift station rehabilitation for improvement or replacement of multiple stations around the city and manhole and sewage storage improvements throughout the system. “The good news is, we’re approximately 70-75% complete with the construction plans for all three projects, and our goal is to start submitting those within the next two weeks, and, probably, by mid-September, we’ll have all three submitted to ADCNR [the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources] for review,” Bobe said. He added that the projects will increase the capacity of the sewerage system and reduce overflows. New pipes will also reduce the amount of stormwater that flows into the sewers and must be treated.