(KNZA)--Plans for phase II of the Hiawatha’s sanitary sewer improvement project move forward. 

The City Commission voted this week to award the contract for the project to Nowak Construction Company, of Goddard, for a total amount of $2.3 million, which includes the base bid and six alternates.

The city had originally budgeted enough to cover the base bid and five alternates.
However, City Administrator Mike Nichols says because of a lower interest rate now than originally planned for, the city will be able to borrow an additional $93,000 from USDA Rural Development and keep the debt payment about the same.
Nichols says that will provide the funding to cover all but around $3,000 of the cost, which will come from city funds.

Mayor Steffen Shamburg says he hopes the work will bring the city into compliance with an executive order from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to eliminate rain and ground water from entering the city’s sewer system.