Ironton city leaders have requested a notice to proceed from the Ohio Public Works Commission, necessary paperwork before beginning the North Ironton Sewer Separation Project.

Pat Leighty, director of operations for E.L. Robinson Engineering, said the request was sent to the OPWC in mid-March. Approval from that agency is necessary before work can begin to separate the sanitary and storm sewers in the area between Orchard Hollow and the city limits at Hanging Rock.

“Right now we’ve got storm water coming into the sanitary lines,” Leighty said. “We’ve been mandated by the state to get rid of that. This is something we have to do; this is not an option.”

The city has hired Fields Excavating to perform the work. Fields recently submitted the lowest bid of $271,961. The city has gotten a $300,000 grant and a $500,000 loan from the OPWC to pay for storm sewer separation.

The North Ironton project is actually the first of five phases to completely separate all the sanitary and storm sewer lines in the city.

Phase 2 is between Elm and Fifth streets; phase 3 is in the south end of town; phase 4 is in the middle area of town and the immediate downtown is the final phase of the project.