Editor's Note: This is a column submitted by the City of Springfield's City Manager Bryan Heck.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new fire station on South Limestone Street marked more than the construction of a new facility, it ushered in the next era of public service for the
City of Springfield.
The new
Springfield Fire Rescue Division station and
Clark State College training facility, at 2040 S. Limestone St., is the first of four new fire stations that will be built during the next three years. The other three stations will be located on Zischler Street, South Charleston Pike, and Burt Street. But, there are more infrastructure projects on the horizon that will improve the way the City serves the community.
The City’s allotment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds has meant that investments can be made in utility services, as well as public safety improvements.
This is a major step forward for our community. These ARP dollars will push forward some infrastructure projects that will bolster the services we deliver to residents and the community as a whole. Public service is at the heart of all the work we do, so it’s exciting to apply these funds to projects that will help us build on the strengths in our community to make it an even better place to live, work and play.
One of those projects is currently underway at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Dayton Road. A storage facility being constructed across the street from the plant will save money and improve efficiency when complete.
The storage facility will increase the City’s capacity for storing bio-solids created during the wastewater treatment process. Storing larger amounts of the bio-solids will result in significant cost savings associated with field-applying the material rather than having it hauled to a solid waste landfill.
The City is also working on the design upgrades necessary for the Erie Pump Station located off of Skinner Lane. The pump station was part of the construction associated with the Erie Express Sewer, which takes on a substantial amount of flow — 10 percent of our dry weather flow — from the northwest section of our community as well as from our sewer customers in Northridge. This upgrade is part of an effort to make this pump station more efficient and effective for the amount of sewage flowing through it.
Safe, clean water for residents and businesses is a critical utility service. Necessary upgrades were made at the Water Treatment Plant on Eagle City Road, starting with the elevator at the facility.
Design has started on a new chemical building, which will be located on-site. This building will improve our process of treating water by better accommodating chemicals, such as liquid ferric sulfate, as we can no longer use dry ferric sulfate in the treatment process.
Finally, a small portion of the ARP dollars will allow us to partner with Clark County Utilities to make improvements to the Northridge waterline.
These improvements mean far more to the community than structural upgrades or the aesthetics of new buildings. They facilitate more efficient, higher-quality services to meet the needs of today’s community and tomorrow’s world.
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