Lexington gets four-year extension from feds, state to fix sanitary sewer problems
Federal and state officials have agreed to give Lexington an additional four years to fix its sanitary sewer problems.
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, ordered the city to complete hundreds of improvements costing upwards of $590 million to fix sanitary sewer overflows throughout Lexington. State environmental officials are also part of that settlement.
Those sanitary sewer overflows allowed pollutants to get into the water, which violated the Clean Water Act. Inadequate stormwater systems compounded the problem by allowing more of those pollutants to get into area waterways.
As part of that agreement, the city was supposed to have all of those projects —which include building additional stormwater tanks and replacing pump stations and sewer line pipes — done by 2026.
The city was on track to meet that deadline until recently, when it ran into problems securing labor and parts for many projects.
Director of Water Quality Charlie Martin warned Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council leaders in 2022 the city would likely need an extension from federal and state officials to complete all the necessary fixes outlined in the consent decree.
“Supply chain issues stemming from the pandemic and labor shortages have slowed progress,” Martin said. “In addition, we have expanded the scope of some projects to improve the operation of the sanitary sewers.”
The council is expected to take an initial vote on the extension March 21. If the council approves the change as expected, final approval is expected from state and federal officials.
Seventy-five sanitary sewer projects have been completed and 41 either are in the process of being completed or started, city officials said Tuesday.
