Marine Sewer Relining Project to be Complete By March 16

By Stephanie Malench

MARINE — The Marine Village Board met on March 6 and continued its conversation about the Neptune water meter reading system and moving the lift stations to wireless connections instead of landlines. 

The new Neptune reading system will not give alerts on leaks until the reading is completed. The village had hoped the system would give automatic updates since many older residents that cannot afford high water bills from leaks are often the ones that have them, but that was a more expensive package. A resident who recently received an $8,000 water bill Alerts will be in the form of a list of top users each month and the water department can notify users if they have an unusually high reading.

Converting to an Omni Site for communications with the lift stations would cost $2,600 to set up each of the two sites and $220 a month to maintain each site. The system would pay for itself in two years. The storm siren could still be set off manually through the mobile system.

American Water has notified the village that they will be asking for another rate increase in 2025. Sewer Lining is still scheduled to be completed by March 16. They will be working from 7 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. until complete. Odors are normal immediately after lining takes place and is from the resin. Any other questions or concerns should be directed to the IEPA and Visu Sewer and are in the letter that was sent to all residents and businesses.

Trustee Kenny Moss said he noticed a truck drive down the driveway to the sewer plant. He called the town crew foreman Jason and was told that the dumping has been going on for some time now and includes the State of Illinois. Moss told Jason to put two posts and a chain across the entrance to the driveway.

In other business:

• A motion was approved to pay Mosquito Authority $1,360 to spray the Village eight times for mosquitos this season.  
• The PEP grant application for the lawnmowers was approved by the committee and will now go before the entire county board on March 20. 
• The Village of Maryville is giving their old Christmas lights to Marine. Ameren will allow lights on poles only after Mayor Kelly Tracy or her designee walks to each pole and gives the GIS location where the lights will be placed.
• The property owner is ready to move forward with annexing to allow the Dollar General project.

The next meeting will be March 20 at 7 pm in Village Hall.