Junction City’s storm water sewer system needs a lot of work and it will be expensive.

That was the main message in a report to the Junction City Commission. They were told there are 21 sites in critical condition, 92 poo, and a number of locations in fair condition.

 

It will cost money to make repairs with options ranging from perhaps two dollars per month rate increases on the bill for single family homeowners to big rate increases for large businesses with impervious concrete or asphalt areas where there is extensive runoff.

Commissioner  Pat Landes noted two of the areas needing the most improvement are Price Ravine and the railroad tracks off the end of 1st Street. “We have pipes falling away, erosion going underneath railroad tracks, critical areas that need to be dealt with as soon as possible.”

Price Ravine is located in the North Jackson – K-57 Highway area near the water plant and Kaw Valley Engineering, and the Parks Department building. “There is a lot of rapid flow through there that has continually eroded the adjacent bases, sidewalls, and even the area we repaired over by the Parks Department a few years ago. We’re starting to get erosion back through there again because there’s nothing to really slow down the flow there. There’s some major issues that are very critical.”

Commissioners could go for rate increases to help pay the cost of repairs, a tax increase, or cut services elsewhere to allow funding to be available to cover the storm water infrastructure costs. More than one member of the Commission has already expressed opposition, however, to any increase in the City’s debt to pay for the needed repairs.

The governing body has not made any final decisions. They have directed staff to acquire information from other cities concerning what they charge in the way of storm water fees to the larger businesses and industries in order to provide information for officials to consider in Junction City as they make future decisions.