New sewage treatment plant in sight

KILLEN - Town officials are getting closer to realizing their goal of building a sewage treatment plant.

After almost two years of debate on the issue, Mayor Jerry Mitchell said a site outside Killen and near Elgin has been selected as having the most potential for the facility that would serve residents primarily along U.S. 72 and J.C. Mauldin Highway.

"There is still no signed contract at this time," he said. "We're not obligated, but we are in serious discussion" with Alabama Utility Services. Mitchell said he anticipates finalizing the contract at the Dec. 10 council meeting.

The need for a sewage treatment plant became an issue as a result of the residential and commercial growth Killen has experienced in recent years, the mayor said. Anticipating future growth means that the luxury of waiting to build the facility is no longer an option.

Initially, Alabama Utility tested a site on Bridge Road for the plant, but it was abandoned for economic reasons, officials said. Residents of the area came out against the proposal, citing purported damage to their property values and the plant's impact on the environment.

Additionally, town officials conducted a feasibility study of connecting Killen's sewage with the city of Florence. At a cost of around $4 million for the necessary infrastructure, however, it proved too costly an endeavor, said Don Price, the town's engineer.

Alabama Utility Services, a private Birmingham-based company, will own and operate the plant, and Killen will franchise the operation.

Chris Matthews, president of Alabama Utility, said he expected some progress on the project within the next 30 to 60 days.

"That's where we are," he said. "Once we have the final agreement with the city, we'll start doing sign-ups for people."

Homeowners and business owners will apply to the city to be part of the new sewage plant. The basic rate for service is expected to be in the range of $5.50 per 1,000 gallons of water and go up based on one's rate of impact on the system.

Unlike the majority of sewage treatment plants in the Shoals that operate on a gravity system, Killen's will be a low-pressure system.

"Lots of older systems in the state have had problems with the gravity systems because they must also treat rain- and groundwater runoff," Matthews said. "With a low-pressure system, all you're treating is the raw sewage."

Although the majority of homes in Killen use septic tanks, some commercial properties have their own small treatment systems. Mitchell said the sewage system would use state-of-the-art technology to control odor and filtration systems that are better for the environment.

"We're growing, and this is just one of those pains that go along with that growth," he said.

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@timesdaily.com.