A major sewer improvement project that targets six areas of thecity is about 40 percent complete and should be finished sometimein late summer, officials said.

“According to what the engineers have told us, this projectshould be finalized by late July or August,” said Mayor BobMassengill.

Massengill said the sewer work, which is a $2.7 million dollarproject, covers six different areas of town. Williford Gearhart& Knight is handling the work for the city.

The project will do things such as replacing a lift station inthe Natchez Avenue area for the first time in 38 years.

Other projects will take place in the areas from Field Lark Laneto Kids’ Kingdom on Industrial Park Drive; on Industrial Park Drivefrom Kids’ Kingdom to Union Street; in the “east interceptor” areaon the east side of town crossing Williams Street. On the west sideof town, the final project will go on in the area of BrookwayBoulevard, Comstock and West Chippewa streets.

Massengill said the project is funded in part with federalmoney, so the city is responsible for 45 percent of the cost.

Federal funds will cover the other 55 percent. It was madepossible by the state’s congressional delegation in Washington,Massengill said, but also by the efforts of city officials who havemade yearly trips to keep the needs of the area top on theirpriority lists.

“We had the $1.2 million in our water and sewer budget,”Massengill said, adding that the government funds covered about$1.5 million.

Workers will upgrade and replace old clay sewer pipe with PVCpipe.

“That will help considerably,” Massengill said. “There are alsoother sewer needs in the city to be addressed as well, but we haveto take them one project at a time.”

Massengill said sometimes infrastructure needs like replacingold sewer lines are not as noticed by the populace because they arenot in their line of sight.

“We’ve got needs, just as other older towns do,” Massengillsaid. “This is one you don’t see, because it’s not aboveground.”