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After 10 years, Harmony may get its sewer system
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Published: May 8, 2009
Town officials are waiting for the final go-ahead from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to start working on the Harmony's long-awaited sewer system.
The USDA is providing one of the grants the town plans to use for this project. For the past 10 years, town officials have planned and applied for several grants to build the water-treatment facility and collection system.
Town commissioners voted earlier this week to proceed with the more than $3 million project, which is expected to provide new economic opportunities for the town.
"We are filing to see if we are going to be OK with our money with our grant people and our Local Govern-ment Commission," said Mayor John Ray Campbell. "It looks good."
The $1.7 million grant from the USDA was awarded more than three years ago, Campbell said.
The septic and well systems that most residents and businesses use have prevented some commercial enterprises from expanding and forced others to have their tanks pumped up to two times a week.
Waco and Nancy Hefner, owners of Neighborhood Grill, are looking into different ways to purchase the building they are in. Once they buy the structure and the sewer system is in place, the Hefners plan to expand the front porch to build a dining area.
"We have been told by the Health Department that we couldn't put any picnic tables with umbrellas unless we have more bathrooms," Nancy Hefner said. "It has to be completely take-home" food service.
Hefner realizes that a sewer system could also help the town attract fast-food restaurants, such as Burger King or McDonald's. However, she feels the made-to-order food offered by the Neighborhood Grill caters to a different audience.
The Hefners are already considering different specialty menus they could adopt if a chain restaurant came into town.
Meanwhile, Iredell-Statesville Schools Facilities and Planning Director Kenny Miller said the school district would welcome the new sewer system.
Harmony Elementary School has had some problems with its septic system in the past. The school system originally held off upgrading the sewer system in the hopes the sewer system would come through before spending $60,000 to upgrade the sewer fields last year.
The school's systems can be hooked onto the town's system at a later time.
"We'd prefer to be on a municipal system if we can," Miller said. "I hope it does get through for them because I know they've been working on that for a long time."
In 1998, the Rural Economic Development Center approved a feasibility study for the sewer system. The center later awarded the town a $1 million supplementary grant.
The mayor said the town has awarded the $2.29 million contract for the collection system to Triangle Grading and Paving Inc. in Burlington. The waste water treatment plant will cost $713,280 and will be built by Spencer's Landform Construction, which is based in Mount Airy.
In addition to receiving funding from the Rural Economic Development Center and the USDA, the town also received money from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
Iredell County Library Director Steve Messick said to his knowledge, the Harmony branch of the library hasn't had any problems with its sewage system. However, he is sure the sewer system will help with future expansion plans.
The Harmony branch was designed so the back of the building could be expanded as needed, Messick said.
"I'm sure it would help the town overall," he said. "It sounds great to me if they can move forward."
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