Second phase of sewer construction to begin

Highland Mayor Jerome Norwood has announced the city has received its second grant to begin the second phase of the city sewer construction.

June 16, the city received notice that it had been awarded $478,000 from the Natural Resource Commission to finish the existing sewer system in Highland. This amount makes the total grants the city has received for the sewer project $903,000.

The mayor said this grant will allow the city to complete sewer service to every building that was not served by the first phase of the construction.

He said that construction on the expansion of the system could begin as early as the spring of 2010. Before construction can begin, Norwood explained the plans need to be drawn up and approved and easements and right of ways must be established. After the plans and easements are made, the project will then go out for bid. He said that the spring date is just an estimate, but did say, "I hate to start digging up people's yards in the winter."

The grant awarded to the city will not increase the cost of sewer service to its customers.