Monmouth’s interim City Administrator Lew Steinbrecher highlighted two developments at a recent city council meeting. The city of Monmouth and Smithfield Foods reached an agreement on a 3 million dollar loan to upgrade the north pre-treatment plant. Among the improvements to the plant will be the addition of a second clarifier and replacing the sewer force main.
“This upgrade is very much needed to ensure the continued operations there at Smithfield, which is obviously a major employer and part of the economic base of the community,” Steinbrecher said.
The city will be taking out the loan because they own the pre-treatment plant, but Smithfield will be fully reimbursing them upon the completion of the project.
Engineering and operations firm Woodard & Curran also gave updates at the meeting on a new source of drinking water for Monmouth residents. A new well number 10 is now online and passed inspections. Steinbrecher is optimistic about the outlook for the project.
“Bringing this new well online will really ensure the Monmouth community with an adequate, safe drinking water supply for decades in the future,” he said.
written by Jackson Kane
For more details on these projects or to hear more of Steinbrecher’s interview, click here:
