Suring OKs engineer fees for sewer project

The Suring Village Board on July 8 approved spending $17,600 for engineering services for a sewer project. Consultants will prepare the specifications and drawings to be used to bid the project, prepare bidding documents, review and approve contractor forms, and assist with inspections and start-up for monitoring the system. In May, the board approved a $53,000 pH control project, as required by the Department of Natural Resources. Two carbon dioxide pressurized holding tanks will be installed at the treatment plant to balance pH levels; pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. A meter to monitor the pH levels of the clean water leaving the treatment plant also will be installed. The project is scheduled to be completed within the next six months. To fund the project, the board will borrow from the village depreciation fund. Higher sewer rates took effect July 1. The monthly fixed charge increased from $14.14 to $16.96. Volume rates increased from $5.34 per thousand gallons to $6.40 per thousand gallons. The total increase would be approximately $7 per month for a household using 4,000 gallons.