Cleveland holds groundbreaking for sewer project

CLEVELAND - The city of Cleveland made it official Friday morning, holding a groundbreaking ceremony for the Truelove Road sewer project.

The effort is considered a major sewer improvement project for the south side of the city.

"It's a project that's been in the works for about four years and today is the official start," Cleveland City Engineer Brian Rindt said.

"It is heavily funded through the federal and state government. There are four different funding agencies, and it just took us a while to get their needs satisfied, but standing here today everybody's ready to go and we're kicking this off," Rindt added.

Cleveland Mayor Don Stanley said officials are glad they got everyone together on the project. He said it will benefit a section of the county that has needed the service for a long time.

Officials expect the project to have a major impact on commercial development on the south side of the city and into White county.

While the ceremony was Friday, Rindt said crews actually began work a couple of weeks ago. Three different contractors are working on the project that's projected to be completed early next year, according to Rindt.

Funding for the project came through a grant from the Economic Development Administration and grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission and One Georgia. The city finished funding with a loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.

Officials with the city, county, state, Congress and representatives with the agency funding sources were on hand for the ceremony.