Warden will finish lift station engineering

EPHRATA — The Grant County commissioners agreed to help Warden finish paying for engineering on a wastewater lift station.

The commissioners approved a $10,215 Strategic Infrastructure Program grant, adding to a previous $28,500 grant from the program. The program uses a state sales tax refund to pay for economic improvement items.

The station will take the wastewater from Washington Potato, Ochoa Foods, Simplot Fertilizer, Pureline Seeds and Columbia Seed to the wastewater treatment plant. The water is currently stored in an evaporation lagoon, according to a Strategic Infrastructure Program grant application.

“The (Washington state) Department of Ecology will require the current discharge go to the new system,” the application stated. “In addition, the port and (the) city own and plan on developing land along Basin Street that will be served by this sewer line extension.”

Columbia Northwest Engineering reported they provided about $11,000 more work than they were originally contracted for, according to a letter from the company. The work included additional surveying, investigating how sewers were connected on First Street and preparing exhibits and applications.