The Lorain City Sewer and Water Advisory Board unanimously voted against making a recommendation to City Council on the site of a new water plant at its Nov. 9 meeting until more data can be collected.
In 2022, SWAB was presented with two potential sites for a new water treatment plant.
One of the sites is near the intersection of Oberlin and West Erie avenues.
The site was chosen as an option in part because it’s on U.S. Route 6, which will allow for ease of deliveries.
The second site is Kings Woods, on the city’s west side, 1.25 miles southwest of the city’s current water treatment plant.
Kings Woods, which is comprised of a significant amount of wetlands, would allow the new water treatment plant to use the existing water intake, have land available to expand if needed and also is close to a highway.
However, the site at Kings Woods raised concerns from board members as well as Mayor Jack Bradley due to its proximity to railroad tracks.
In reference to a possible train derailment, Bradley said, “That would be a real tragedy if we lost our water supply.”
The board agreed it needed more information such as a cost analysis of both sites, including wetland remediation at the Kings Woods site and other data before it could make a recommendation to Council.
The city’s current water treatment plant is approximately 100 years old and is in need of major upkeep and updates.
The 11-member board had five absent members, which was discussed at length as well at the meeting.
Safety-Service Director Sanford Washington, Director of Utilities Joseph Carbonaro and City Auditor Karen Shawver are members of the board but were absent at the meeting.
After hearing complaints about the high absentee rate of the board that’s comprised of appointed citizens and public officials, a discussion ensued regarding members who are not attending the meetings.
If there aren’t enough members present at the meeting, the board can’t officially vote.
Bradley assured the board he would speak with Washington and Carbonaro about attending the meetings, since they both are under his authority.
Meanwhile, SWAB is in the process of reviewing each member and their attendance records.
The board was created by the city Feb. 1, 2021, to provide strategic oversite of the operations of the sewer and water divisions in the city for the purpose of reviewing the adequacy of the rates, monitor operations to determine efficiencies, propose capital improvement projects and the implementation of green technologies.
