Millsboro is applying for a matching grant from DNREC for future wastewater projects
DNREC’s Wastewater Planning Matching Grants are awarded to help municipalities plan projects using funds from the Delaware Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund. Millsboro is seeking the full $50,000 match, putting the total potential funding at $100,000.
Millsboro Director of Public Works Sewer Rich Plack.
“We have an up-and-coming project, sewer line replacement and upgrades for White Street down to the existing wastewater treatment plant in order to upsize the piping.” he said.
Plack says the pipe upsizing is needed to accommodate a new pump station that’s already being built.
Millsboro Director of Public Works Sewer Rich Plack says the city is currently working on several improvement projects.
"We still have around $100,000 in our remaining fiscal budget towards those repairs in which we’ll most likely be utilizing cure-in-place (CIP) pipe lining. That’ll give another 30 to 50 years of life in the existing pipe without having to do significant street damage” he said.
The move comes following two leaks from Millsboro wastewater facilities, each reaching Indian River waterways. The first resulted in the Indian River being closed to shellfish gathering.
Millsboro confirmed another wastewater leak that reached the Indian River on February 26th, which officials say was overflow caused by a pump which failed to operate.
Plack notes piping infrastructure surveillance is being done by Millsboro, and many pipes have planned improvements. This includes spending $100,000 on cure-in-place lining on up to 75,000 linear feet of pipe, which Plack says extend their lifespan another 30-50 years.
Plack says the wastewater treatment process is all in working order as of now. February’s wastewater leak is still under investigation by DNREC.
