The Durango City Council took steps toward a new wastewater-treatment plant, better drainage and paved alleys Tuesday.
The councilors voted to approve spending $65,600 on a study of two alternative sites for a sewer plant south of the High Bridge. The study will be finished in July.
Rough estimates for a remodel of the current plant could be about $50 million, but moving the plant could carry a higher cost, consultants have previously told city councilors.
The Utilities Commission has encouraged the city to look at alternative sites, and it specifically named three sites in town. But, the councilors previously said they do not envision any of the sites proposed by the commission to be politically viable. The sites included the south side of Santa Rita Park, Cundiff Park and the riverfront property below the Durango Mall.
The city will also likely take on a longtime-erosion issue in the Crestview Ditch, which flows between Avenida del Sol and Roosa Avenue.
Levi Lloyd, director of city operations, announced the city has received a $1.26 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to stabilize the ditch that carries runoff from 550 acres down to the Animas River.
During heavy rains, several homes near the channel could be flooded, and a sewer line could be damaged.
City photos show the channel has eroded dirt from underneath fences, and there are major drops where the chute loses 10 to 14 feet of elevation.
“It’s pretty severe,” City Manager Ron LeBlanc said.
The grant requires $309,000 in matching funds from the city, and the city will have to pay for all the work up front. FEMA requires the work to be finished by September 2016, and it will reimburse the city after the work is complete.
Councilors supported the project, but they will vote on it at a later meeting.
In addition, councilors moved to tackle some paving projects this year, but they will also set a few aside.
The paving of the parking lot for Brookside Park got the green light and should cost about $54,000.
But paving the lot for the Mason Center was put on hold because the building is being evaluated as part of the facilities master plan, and it may need to be remodeled.
Three alleys are slated to be paved this year, with $100,000 the council set aside previously. The alley behind the Durango Police Department, the one near Park Elementary and the one near Walgreens on 27th Street are slated for paving.
The board decided not to pave the alley between the 800 blocks of East Fourth and East Fifth avenues near the Gable House Bed and Breakfast this year because of the expense and low number of cars using it.
The least expensive option for paving the alley was about $84,500, Lloyd said.
Because many of the alleys are not near storm drains, this high price tag for paving alleys could become more common.
“I think this is on the very low end of the remaining alleys to be paved,” Lloyd said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
