City sewerage was the main topic of conversation at Tuesday’s Richmond Hill City Council meeting. A $13 million upgrade to the Sterling Creek wastewater plant and proposed sewer lines along Harris Trail, to support new development, were among the items on the agenda.

Ron Kolat, an engineer with city-contracted engineering firm Carter and Sloop, said estimates for proposed upgrades to the Sterling Creek wastewater plant add up to just over $13 million. This includes repairs at four pump stations and adding on to the plant in order to double the wasteload capacity from 1.5 million gallons to 3 million gallons.

Mayor Richard Davis said the work must be done if the city is to accommodate new development.

Council unanimously approved the engineering agreement, but actual approval of the upgrades will come before council in a future meeting.

Kolat noted that the price should come down when the work is bid out. He said stimulus money may become available for the work.

Kolat said the upgrades would reduce the load on the current facility.

He said this would get the city into compliance with the EPD, which has been an ongoing struggle for years and relates to the current capacity and increased ammonia levels.

City manager Mike Melton said efforts are ongoing to get the plant into compliance now, including waste removal and clearing out decayed matter and dead plants from the connecting wetlands, but upgrading the facility is the ultimate solution for the city.

In another issue, three local developers approached the council about installing city sewer service along Harris Trail Road.