[E-updates] Progress update on Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility

[Lisa Patterson]

NEWS RELEASE

 

City of Lawrence, Kansas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Thursday, May 4, 2006

 

CONTACT: Debbie Van Saun, assistant city manager, (785) 832-3400

 

Progress update on Wakarusa Water Reclamation Facility

 

(LAWRENCE, Ks) - Last October, the City of Lawrence began studying
potential sites for a new water reclamation facility.  The planned
facility will provide capacity for a city of a population of 150,000.
The process led to two potential sites for final consideration.  The
city must now begin on-site exploration of the areas by first working
with property owners to receive permission to access the locations of
interest.  On-site investigations will identify any site issues that
could impact schedule, costs or the permitting process including
environmental, geotechnical and cultural assessments, threatened and
endangered species, wetland investigations and surveying. 

 

A public meeting will be held to discuss the rankings and evaluations of
all the site options and the two potential sites.  The meeting is set
for Wednesday, May 10 at 7p.m. in the auditorium at City Hall, 6 East
Sixth Street.  City staff along with representatives from Black &
Veatch, engineering consultants to the city for the project, will lead
the presentation and answer questions.  

 

The two potential sites are both located immediately south of the
Wakarusa River.  One of the potential sites is located just west of
US-59, north and south of N. 1200 Road.  The other potential site is
east of Haskell Avenue and northeast of N. 1100 Road and E.1 600 Road.
The city continues to work to accelerate completion of the facility by
working on the site selection while developing ways to fast track the
facility design and construction.

 

The city used a Public Advisory Committee, a group of citizens and
stakeholders appointed by the Mayor, to guide the site selection
process.  The PAC served as a voice for community members, providing
input regarding site utilization concepts and appearance related to the
water reclamation facility.

 

"The efforts of the Public Advisory Committee to determine the criteria
important in selecting a site contributed to a thorough analysis of the
possible areas.  I am pleased that the process has had valuable input
from stakeholders and the community.  We look forward to continuing to
receive input as we approach completing the site selection phase of the
project," said Debbie Van Saun, assistant city manager.

 

The project website, http://www.lawrenceutilities.org/wwrf/index.shtml,
has been updated with a map of the two potential sites.

 

Individuals unable to attend the meeting can contact Debbie Van Saun,
assistant city manager, at 785-832-3400 or dvansaun at ci.lawrence.ks.us.

 

-END-

 

 

_____________________________

Lisa K. Patterson

Communications Manager

City of Lawrence

PO Box 708

Lawrence, KS 66044

(785) 832-3406

fax (785) 832-3405

lpatterson at ci.lawrence.ks.us

http://www.lawrenceks.org

 

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