KP Moving Forward on Wastewater Issue

The King Philip School Committee discussed continuing efforts to remedy the odor issues with the high school's wastewater treatment plant.

The problem, according to officials, is a lack of flow through the system. Town boards have inquired about tying in nearby residents to the system, as the area has drainage issues.

District Business Administrator Paul Schaefer said bids for work on the plant have been advertised, and will be opened on August 24.

The committee decided, at its last meeting, to send a letter to the Board of Selectmen asking the board to make inquiries about creating a sewer district if it wished to pursue that option.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Joseph Botaish said the board had received the letter, but has not yet had the chance to review it.

"I'm not 100 percent up to snuff on wastewater treatment plants," he said "What I've been doing is speaking to independents."

Botaish said the board was considering creating a district, but wasn't sure if it would pursue the option.

"The unfortunate thing is, 90 percent of the way into it, people started throwing ideas around," he said. "That should have started day one."

Botaish asked if there was a mechanical way to solve the problem, as opposed to decommissioning the plant.

Schaefer said that option has been explored, but estimates for such repairs were over $500,000.