Sewer South extension delayed until fall

The delay announced this week in the timetable to finally run piped sewer to I-85 in Oconee is not anticipated to jack up the multi-million dollar price of the project.  In fact, according to Oconee’s chief honcho of sewer, there might even be some savings to realize.  Chris Eleazer, executive director of the JRSA, said, “I just got off the telephone just a few moments ago with a conference call to talk about it.  We don’t anticipate the costs changing as at this time.  In fact, there could possibly be a savings.  We don’t know until it all goes out to bid.”  Downsizing a pump station at the Welcome Center at exit 1 could produce the savings.  Officials of JRSA’s member cities heard the latest timetable calls for bid opening in August, with start of construction in September. Piped sewer to reach exit 1 at highway 11 and exit 2 at SC 59 has been the dream of county officials and southern Oconee residents for many years to help create investment for the county’s chief section of farmland, an area that has missed out on development in Seneca and other parts of the county.