Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RALPH ANSAMI
Ironwood — Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson explained Monday how the city plans to use a $469,000 Clean Water grant.
It was recently announced the city will receive the grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Erickson said it’s a pilot project and other communities in Michigan will be watching how Ironwood uses the grant.
There are three facets to the city’s plans for the grant.
First, the funds will be used to update water distribution system material inventories and computerize information that will then be able to be easily accessed in the future.
The other two phases involve assessment management and replacing service lines, Erickson said.
The replacement of lines will probably involve only a block or two, Erickson told the commission.
While there is little lead in the city’s lines that needs to be replaced, some galvanized lines need replacement, he said.
Erickson said the fact the city was ready to go ahead with the project application this year was important in obtaining the grant.
City commissioners agreed the grant will be administered by Coleman Engineering for $211,897. Coleman Engineering prepared the grant application and will perform much of the work.
The grant will not require a city match.
Paul Anderson, of Coleman, wrote in a letter to the commission that per the MDEQ, activities performed back to February are grant-eligible and may be put on his company’s first pay request.
