The Marshall County Council members reviewed a $50,000 additional appropriation request Monday morning for a preliminary engineering study.
The engineering study will be conducted by officials from Jones, Petrie and Rafinski (JPR) to evaluate the septic system failures and water quality issues in the unincorporated areas of Marshall County. County officials will await the results to determine the best solution for problem areas.
Ken Jones from JPR previously explained that the study will take about six months to complete. Health Administrator Christine Stinson told the council that she will give Jones a restricted guest login to access all of the county’s information concerning permits, recorded risk areas, and water quality data. From there, Jones said they will look at the capabilities of the communities in terms of the environment, wastewater treatment, and cost estimates for possible alterative solutions. All unincorporated areas will be included in the study.
The $50,000 cost of the study will come out of the health department’s budget. Stinson said the budget has the ability to support that cost and hopes that those funds could be reimbursed down the line if a regional sewer district becomes a reality, as allowed by districting.
The council determined that the study is necessary and approved the additional appropriation request as presented and advertised. Stinson said that the study will begin soon now that the funding request was formally approved.
