Jackson Public Works director discusses wastewater treatment plant ahead of vote

Jackson Public Works director Kent Peetz has oversight of the city's wastewater treatment plant at 2230 Lee Ave. along Hubble Creek, which is the focus of Tuesday's $10.1 million no-tax-increase bond referendum.

Peetz is unabashedly proud of the plant.

"We get compliments from out-of-town engineers, some of whom who tell us the facility looks like a golf course," Peetz said Wednesday.

"Folks have come from Florida to look at our unique ultraviolet light disinfection system," he noted, adding the plant is 33 years old.

"After a period of time, it's a natural part of a plant's aging process that maintenance and replacement eventually need to happen."

On July 15, Mayor Dwain Hahs told the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce that repairing, rebuilding and replacing aging plant infrastructure is just part of what will be accomplished with a positive vote.

"We expect to grow again over the next 10 years the way we did over the previous 10, so we're going to need additional (wastewater) capacity," said Hahs, mayor since 2015. "If voters OK this, (Jackson) won't have to build another wastewater plant, which would be very expensive."

If the plebiscite wins voter OK next week, Jackson will apply for a low-interest loan to be repaid over the next 20 years to do the work.

While there is no tax increase, user fees will be impacted.

According to a recent handbill mailed to city residents and businesses, a before-and-after example was detailed.

• An average Jackson household will see a fee increase from $31.41 to $34.56 per month.
• An average Jackson business will witness a hike from $83.16 to $91.48 monthly.

Outlook

The municipal mailer states:

"If the bond issue doesn't pass, failures of aging equipment will eventually require very expensive emergency repairs to prevent the release of untreated wastewater into our environment — and that cost would be passed along to our customers."