Sewer action on hold till summer

Last updated 5/2/2000 at Noon

It will be late summer before the backhoes roll on the Sisters' wastewater project.

According to project engineer Dick Nored of HGE, Inc., the city is still waiting for final approval of plans from the major funding agency, the federal Rural Utilities Services.

"They've got a plan review process, just like anyone else," Nored said. "We're still in that cycle."

According to Nored, the plan review could be completed and the project could go out for bid in two weeks to a month. The digging will start a couple months later.

"I'd like to say the middle of July. It might be closer to the first of August," Nored said.

However, Sisters Mayor Steve Wilson said the project really can't wait past July, because the treatment facility settling pond must be dug and lined before winter.

"We've got to begin digging in July because it takes two to 2-1/2 months, with all the stuff we have to take out of it, to get the pond dug," Wilson said.

Wilson said the plastic liner must be installed by October, because cold weather will make the material brittle.

Nored doesn't expect too much disruption of the streets, at least on Cascade Avenue.

"We're feeding down the alleys on each side of Cascade Avenue," Nored said. "We're trying to stay off the highway."

There will be only one highway crossing in the downtown core area. Work crews will bore under the highway, probably at night, Nored said.

This summer's work will be confined to Phase I of the project, covering the downtown core, part of the "old" residential area of Sisters on St. Helens and Washington Streets, the developments at The Pines and Pine Meadow Ranch.

According to Wilson, the final $500,000 in sewer funding is almost locked up.

Wilson hopes to secure $250,000 from Deschutes County in exchange for a long- term lease arrangement for sheriff's station facilities in Sisters' future city hall.

Another $250,000 is to come from developer contributions.

"We are in discussions with some of the major developers in town... to cover the last gaps in funding, no strings attached, no credit for SDCs (systems development charges)."

Nored expects that some residents and businesses will be on the sewer by early next year.

"There might be some usage late this year or in the spring of 2001," he said. "I think we'll have construction through 2001. I don' know if we'll finish in 2001."

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Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.