Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Customers Need To Hook Onto New Sewer System

There are 33 customers who signed up for water and sewer service along Highway 67 who have not hooked onto the system.

These residents signed an agreement to utilize the system for 36 months once the lines for water and sewer were laid from Gurdon's city limits to the new Gurdon High School.

Harold Hurst, in Monday night's meeting with the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission, told the panel these 33 customers need to hook onto the system as they will be charged minimum bills on the next billing cycle.

Hurst told the board there is no deadline, yet, for getting these customers to hook onto the system, but the revenue from use is needed to help pay for the work done.

Bill Dulin, commission president, asked Hurst if the Arkansas Department of Health doesn't require these people to hook onto the system.

Hurst said there is a law on the books which states if a sewer line is within 250 feet of a residence, the domicile must be hooked into it.

He said the ADH will come in and lend the city a hand if the agency's assistance is needed.

This, Hurst continued, could mean fines for those not hooking onto the system. Those fines, however, would be levied by the Clark County Sanitarian.

Hurst said residents along Highway 67 need to hook into the sewer system, at the very least, to help keep raw sewage out of the ditches and out of Gurdon Lake.

The board also heard an update concerning the parent segment of Gurdon's rural water project.

Charles Summerford, project engineer, has begun the search for ownership of property involved so easements may be obtained and work begun.

Hurst said about 400 easements will be needed for phase II. In order to get the land rights signed for the project, he said a committee will have to be formed and go door-to-door, much as happened in phase I of the project.

In addition, a tentative offer has been made to Southwestern Bell Telephone for property and a building it owns on Red Springs Road near a cemetery.

Hurst said the offer was for $3,500. The property is fenced, has a building and is graveled already. Hurst said this area could be used as a pumping station for the project, pretty much as is. He said the only major work which would have to be done is to change the electrical system from single phase to three phase.

While the water commission would initially pay for the land and building, it would be reimbursed from project funds later. Hurst said buying this building and property is much cheaper than having to buy land, build a structure and do the fencing and gravel work would be.

Summerford, Hurst said, is pleased with the structure and location.

The problem, however, could be in finding a sufficient water supply in the area. "I hope Summerford knows how hard water is to find here," Hurst said.

For the project to work properly, a well will have to be able to produce 250 gallons of water per minute.

It is hoped, Hurst said, construction on the project can begin this summer while the weather is dry and more work can be accomplished. He said it will take about eight months to complete construction, once it's begun.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith was present for the meeting. He said a dedication had been planned for Thursday, March 28, but was postponed because some of those wanting to participate from Washington, D.C. couldn't make it to Gurdon.

However, he said the dedication of phase I may be held in April.

Dulin said a dedication could be a sore spot for those who have paid, yet do not have access to city water. "Those people who need water feel as important as other folks," he said.

Smith said those agencies which helped get the first phase completed need to be considered, as it was with their assistance the project was completed as quickly as it was. The Arkansas Soil and Water Conservation Commission, which approved a loan for the sewer to GHS, Smith reminded the panel, is not involved in the parent project, but played a vital role in the overall plan.

The mayor said some people would be upset if a dedication weren't held.

Hurst said no one wants to be left out, and no one had any intention of leaving anyone out who played a part in the project. "We want all the parties (funding agencies) involved to get credit," he said.

In other business, the panel agreed to allow Hurst to be the inspector for new heating and air conditioning units installed.

This issue was addressed at the March 11 city council meeting. At that time, the council approved sending Hurst to a two-day school to become certified.

Hurst was one of the top student in the class, scoring about 95 percent on the final test.

During the April meeting, the council will have to draft and adopt an ordinance officially naming Hurst the city's inspector for heating and air conditioning units.

The inspections will be done while a structure is under construction, with Hurst checking at the beginning and end to make sure they are properly installed.

Smith said the city will also have to develop a plan and adopt a set of codes for the inspection process.

Should a contractor attempt to get around the inspection process, Smith said the ADH would come in and could issue fines. Hurst's job will be to inspect only, any citations will have to be issued by the state and ADH.

There was more good news for the commission as revenues are currently exceeding expectations.

Dulin asked if the budget needed to be changed, but was told it wouldn't be necessary.

Hurst said as long as more money is coming in than going out there is no problem with the existing budget.

"It's been an unusual year," Hurst said, "It's been dry and people are using more water. The more water they use, the higher the sewer bills are."

Some 200 citizens will soon be getting letters notifying them of leaks in their sewer system.

According to Hurst, the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology did a smoke test on the city's sewer lines in 1991 in accordance with the bond agreement.

As part of the agreement under the revolving loan program, Hurst said the commission agreed to stop all marked leaks from private lines into the sewer system. He said work on this project must begin this year in order to remain in compliance with the agreement.

Surface water, he said, has been leaking into the sewer system, and these leaks must be stopped.

What will make customers unhappy is it is the landowner's responsibility to get the leaks repaired.

The commission agreed it would be better to send letters to those who have leaking sewer lines and let them contract the work to local and area plumbers.

Otherwise, the city will have to come in, do the work and bill the owner. "We don't want to compete with local and area pl