By Natalie Morales
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sanitation District No. 1 officials said they hope an appeal filed June 7 does not delay groundbreaking for a wastewater treatment plant in Alexandria.

Cincinnati Water Works is appealing a permit issued by the Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet's Water Division to build the treatment plant. The water division will hear the case July 13.

The appeal asks the division to stop construction of the plant and drainage line, said John Lyons, Sanitation District director of storm-water management.

Construction of the plant, which will cost about $75 million, is scheduled to start by the end of summer, said Jeff Eger, Sanitation District general manager.

"The new plant will be able to handle three times the maximum flow that would be expected," said Steve Pendery, Campbell County judge-executive.

A delay in building the plant also would mean a continuation of the moratorium on construction in southern Campbell County Eger said.

Much of Cincinnati Water Works' appeal focuses on moving the new plant's discharge location downstream, said Paul Tomes, chief engineer for the Cincinnati Water Works.

As things now stand, the treated sewage would discharge into the Ohio River 11 miles upstream from the Cincinnati Water Works intake. Plants must discharge wastewater no less than five miles away from the nearest drinking water intake.

Moving the discharge would cost more than $40 million and add two years to the construction time, Eger said.

"The Ohio River is already dirty; we're not going to make it any worse," Pendery said.