Redkey has a big year coming

The new year is shaping up to be a big one for Redkey.
Engineers told town council last week that work on the town’s large-scale sewer project should begin about the end of the first quarter of the year, guaranteeing a muddy 2016 with plenty of disruption.
But it’s an enormous step forward for a community that has struggled with an inadequate sewer system and wastewater treatment system for decades.
It’s also the key to any potential Redkey growth.
Without addressing the sewers, there was no way Redkey could move forward. Once the project is complete, the future will be brighter than it’s been in years.
Will it be messy? Yes. Will it be a headache at times? Yes.
But in the long run it’s worth it.
Dunkirk went through the long, hard chore of sewer separation years ago and now has the infrastructure in place that it needs to move forward. And Portland continues to deal with combined sewer overflows on a piecemeal basis.
Of course, the best news for Redkey is that most of the tab is being picked up with help from Uncle Sam.
Estimated to cost $7.9 million, the project will be funded in part by a $3.9 million grant and a $3.8 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will be paid back over 40 years at 2.5 percent interest. That’s hard to beat.
It’s true that Redkey residents will see larger sewage bills, but without the grant and loan assistance the entire project would be simply out of reach. — J.R.