Filter plant done by October

Filter plant done by October

Marion Council gets update on project progress

news@theeveningtimes.com A new water filter plant in Marion should be finished and operational by early October.

“It’s coming along,” Water Department Manager Jim Shempert told the city council. Shempert said the building is up and contractors are currently installing the piping inside to the filters.

The plant is located next to well No. 3 north of Military Road behind Trinity in the Fields Episcopal Church and the cell tower on Washington Street.

The cost to build the plant is about $2.4 million.

The new filter plant will be used to filter the water from well No. 3. Although well No.

3 meets safe drinking standards, the water is cloudy at times.

The city mostly used well No. 3 as a back up water source, but it does come online during the busy summer months when there is peak demand.

Marion has four wells, two of which have filtration plants.

The city asked Bond Engineering to design the new filter plant to be large enough to accommodate two filter pumps.

Marion is also considering filtering well No. 4 near K& R Park.

Bond told the city council that he expected construction to be finished in about 45 days.

“He should be through with the interior piping this week,” Bond said. “Once he finishes the piping inside then he will install the north and south wall on the building.”

By Mark Randall