Ground broken for new sewage treatment plant

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

After years of planning, Springfield Metro Sanitary District officials broke ground Tuesday for a multimillion-dollar expansion of its sewage treatment facilities.

The $129 million Spring Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant project will be built on sanitary district property on North Eighth Street across from the existing plant. The new plant is expected to be in operation by December 2012.

District director Gregg Humphrey said the project will let the Springfield metropolitan area grow while also providing construction jobs.“We’re looking to help stimulate the local job market with up to 125 jobs on site and possibly 2,250 related jobs,” Humphrey said.

A $50 million project to upgrade the Sugar Creek Plant, east of Interstate 55 off Mechanicsburg Road, also is in the works.