Curious about the Pipeline Project? There’s a website for that
By Randy Bell
Those interested in keeping tabs on the most expensive and arguably the most important public works project in Clinton’s history can now go to a website to find out what’s happening.
The president of the Clinton Raymond Bolton Wastewater Authority, Mark Bailey, told the Board of Alderman at an August 28 work session that CRBWA.com is being updated regularly.
The authority is overseeing the construction of a pipeline to carry treated wastewater from the three cities to the Big Black River for disposal. The project is expected to cost at least $130 million and is crucial for continued economic development in western Hinds County.
“We let the first project, about five and a half miles of 24- and 36-inch force main sewer line, and everything seems to be going well,” Bailey says. “Hopefully, the project will be completed [in] the early part of ’26. This is just part of the overall line that’s being built. The first project is actually in the middle, basically along I-20. The next project probably will be to connect the [Raymond] lagoons to [Clinton’s] Southside treatment plant.”
And the importance of the pipeline can’t be overstated.
As Bailey puts it, “Because of some of the issues related to trying to push the treated water into intermittent streams, the Department of Environmental Quality said that was something that couldn’t be continued; and, therefore, they had to take it to a larger body of water, which happens to be the Big Black.”
Clinton Consulting City Engineer Greg Gearhart provided a further update on the project.
“As of the end of August, Hemphill [Construction] has installed approximately 9000 linear feet of open cut 36” pipe,” said Gearhart. “An initial segment of 3,000 feet of open cut and bored pipe was successfully pressure-tested on August 8.”
“The entire segment from Farr Road back to the Interstate crossing will be completed and pressure tested by September 20,” continued Gearhart. “The three roadway bores are complete, and nine of the ten directional bores are complete. The contractor has invoiced approximately $9.3 million and is approximately sixty percent complete.”
“Preliminary surveying, archaeological surveys and utility location work has been largely completed on the remainder of the force main route along I-20 to the Big Black, and also between the Clinton and Raymond wastewater treatment plants,” Gearhart said. “Design and permitting work is ongoing in these areas, with the goal of advertising another phase of construction in 2026.”
For more information about the Clinton Raymond Bolton Wastewater Authority and the “Pipeline Project,” visit: CRBWA.com
