Plan set for extending sewer line

MEEKER I More than 30 people gathered Nov. 13 to learn about the water and sewer extension project to extend water and sewer service to the Curtis Creek Industrial Park, the new Pioneers Medical Center facility and the commercial area at Thornburgh Road.
The project is slated to begin in mid-2014, and the extended lines would begin from south/west of the Meeker Airport Road and extend for the roughly 2 miles to Rio Blanco County Road 15 (Thornburgh Road).
Ryan Spaustat, an engineer with Landmark Engineer, presented the plans and drawings for the proposed utilities. The project will cost an estimated $5.1 million to add the approximately two miles of new pipeline. The project will provide water, sewer, and fire suppression services to the area.
Funding is provided by a coalition of local entities and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).
The Town of Meeker, Meeker Sanitation District, Pioneers Medical Center, Rio Blanco County and Meeker Fire and Rescue partnered to provide this infrastructure to our community.
In August, the group was awarded a $825,000 grant to assist with the costs of the utilities.
“This project will help provide utilities to businesses that are currently using septic and hauling water, the extended lines will serve the replacement facility for Pioneers Medical Center, and it will set the stage for future commercial development on the north end of town said Meeker Town Manager Scott Meszaros said.
This project has been a long time in the making.
Over the past 20 years, various groups have looked at extending the water and sewer lines, but the cost has been too burdensome for any one entity.
With the Pioneers Medical Center replacement building being located on the east end of town, the need to serve existing businesses and the need for future commercial/industrial development, now is the perfect time to extend and strengthen our town utilities, Meszaros said.
Haselden Construction has been selected through a request for proposal (RFP) process to be general contractor for the project, which will be overseen by Meeker Sanitation District, the Town of Meeker and Pioneers Medical Center, he said.
In order to streamline costs and to create efficiencies, the utility project will be done in conjunction with the PMC facility replacement project.