North Buffalo Creek Sewer Line Replacement Project Begins

The City of Greensboro Water Resources Department plans to replace 3.2 miles of sanitary sewer lines from Latham Park near Hill Street to the North Buffalo Wastewater Treatment Plant along North Buffalo Creek. The project will replace the aged existing pipe with larger pipe in order to reduce the likelihood of sewer overflows in Latham Park.

The project will also include restoration of parts of North Buffalo Creek to stabilize it and repair some of the damage caused by development - steep banks will be flattened, curves will be added and trees and shrubs will be planted. This will reduce stream erosion, improve water quality and filter pollution more effectively, yet the design will not increase flooding.

The design phase of this project is underway and construction is planned to begin in late 2005. Estimates call for the project to be completed in late 2007. Initial cost estimates for the project are $40 million but this amount could change depending on the complexity of the work. A 10-12% sewer rate increase will be needed to fund this project, in addition to planned annual increases of 10% over the next several years.

This improvement project is the first step in reducing overflows in Latham Park and is part of a larger effort underway in Greensboro to repair deteriorating sewer pipes and aging infrastructure, which should lead to reduced overflows throughout the city.

Public meetings will be held at various stages throughout the project to gather citizen input. Residents may also visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/water for updates on the project and to provide feedback.

For more information, contact Allan Williams at 373-2050.