The Wichita City Council has approved financing applications, design contract amendments, and the full project budget for proposed upgrades to the city’s two sanitary sewer plants located in south Wichita.
Alan King with the city's public works department says the designs are 30% complete at this point. The design teams of CDM Smith and Professional Engineering Consultants will complete the design phase by mid-2023.
The city will submit their loan application to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment by October 15 for $185 million in funding. In meeting that deadline, the city may be eligible for $1 million in loan forgiveness.
Next, the loan application for $191.5 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency is due by October 21 and includes a $100 thousand application fee.
The total revised budget for the plants is $377 million. Initial construction will begin early next year and should be completed by the end of 2027. The upgrades will bring the city into compliance with newer federal regulations and solve the plants’ odor issue.
Also at Tuesday's council meeting, a third phase of improvements was approved for Pracht Wetlands Park, located near 29th and Maize Road in northwest Wichita.
The city will pay the initial $200 thousand for design work, set to provide a continuation of the steel boardwalk at the park, along with a duck blind pause point and corresponding art components.
Council member Bryan Frye says the park provides an eco-tourism opportunity for the city.
There's no word on when construction will begin.