CHIMACUM — A sewage treatment plant built to treat 1 million gallons a day in the Irondale/Port Hadlock area is expected to be completed in about 15 years at a cost of at least $50 million, a consulting engineer said.
“One of the things we want to do is make sure that sewage service is in by 2024,” said Kevin Dour, an engineer and senior project manager for county-contracted Seattle consultant firm Tetra Tech.
Dour, other consultants and county officials on Wednesday addressed about 50 people attending the Tri-Area Chamber of Commerce at the Tri-Area Community Center.
The sewage treatment system would bring Jefferson County into compliance with the state Growth Management Act.
County leaders also say that it will stimulate economic development and job-creation.
Dense development and affordable housing would be other positive results of the proposal, county officials said.
“It’s intended to be urban. It’s intended to be dense,” said Al Scalf, county director of Community Development.
“Obviously, we’re trying to capture some of the economic leakage from the county.”
A residential sewage treatment fee of about $60 a month is proposed.
Some in the audience questioned that figure, saying that Irondale is one of the lowest-income communities in the county.
Scalf said it was up to the citizens to form a local improvement district to help pay for the sewage system improvements.
