Funding for northern Lakeport sewer project approved

LACONIA — Installation of 1¼ miles of new sewer lines in the northern section of Lakeport is slated to begin later this year now that funding for the project has been approved.

The City Council on Monday authorized the city administration to apply to borrow $2.5 million from a low-interest state fund to pay for the project to install the new lines in an area of Lakeport that includes North Street, Sheridan Street, Belvidere Street, and School Street.

The work is scheduled to begin once the work on upgrading the sewer line along Elm Street is completed sometime this summer.

The aging lines are too small and made of clay, making them susceptible to clogging, councilors were told. In addition, some of the pipe joints are not watertight, allowing a significant amount of groundwater to leak into the line.

While the total amount of the loan will be $2.5 million, the state Department of Environmental Services has committed to apply $747,600 in COVID stimulus funds toward the project which will bring the city’s loan obligation down to about $1.7 million, City Manager Scott Myers said.

The interest rate on the loan is expected to be between 2% and 2.4%.