The decision to move the lab stems from the county’s project to replace some aging sewer infrastructure and adding a new pump station, which should ensure residents have a reliable wastewater collection system that is capable of getting through the next few decades.
“The Western Regional Water Reclamation Facility in West Carrollton will absorb the treatment operation in Moraine, maximizing cost savings,” Montgomery County Director of Communications Deb Decker said.
The consolidation into West Carrollton means the Moraine facility will no longer be needed for the lab purpose.
“However, we are keeping the location available for potential office space area,” Decker said.
The county will maintain their other water reclamation facility, the Eastern Regional Water Reclamation Facility in Kettering.
“We felt moving the laboratory downtown made sense, both fiscally and proximally,” Decker said.
Water from both the West Carrollton and the Kettering facility are tested at the lab and downtown is a good midway point for the two reclamation facilities, Decker said.
As an added bonus, the lab will be moved into a space that was vacated last fall by the preschool, Mini University, so the county does not have to purchase the building, according to Decker. Mini University moved to the new Hope Center for Families in Dayton.
The design phase of the lab is currently 60% complete. The county expects the design to be completed in May and the project ready for bid in July.
They anticipate the majority of the project will be paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funds. It is too early for an exact project cost, but could be around a $5 million project.
The size of the new lab facility will be approximately the same size as the current one.
There will be no changes to staffing and there are currently six lab employees.
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