Water Improvements:
Each year Public Works prioritizes and identifies goals based upon our Capital Improvement Plans. In 2024 the Board of Aldermen voted to approve the purchase of the Spring Valley Water System. By making the connection to the proposed Chadwick Flyer Business Park, we will provide future businesses with the opportunity to expand along the HWY 65 frontage. This acquisition also allows us to provide water redundancy and a more robust fire protection plan. Future phases and improvements will be announced to make further water distribution improvements throughout the Spring Valley. Additionally, residents will see improvements in service and an overall reduction in the water rates in the defined area:
Public Works crews also worked with contractors to install I-hydrants and began a complete overhaul of our water metering system. Both improvements allow us to closely monitor our water system and promptly identify service interruptions. The bottom line is that these advances in technology act as a force multiplier and allows our crews to identify concerns and reduce water loss throughout our water distribution network more efficiently.
Wastewater Improvements:
2024 also included one of the largest investments in our sewer treatment and conveyance system. Ozark received a 3.25M dollar ARPA allocation which allowed us to tackle Phase I of a massive project that will ultimately:
- Provide Flow Equalization or Additional Sewer Flow to the Elk Valley Treatment Plant
- Reduce the Amount of Sewer Flow to the Old or North Treatment Plant
- Eliminate the Syphon Running Under the Finley River
As of the end of 2024, contractors have installed over 21,000 linear feet of force main, and we are 75% complete with a new regional lift station.
Additional upgrades have been completed at the North Plant to help with the treatment process. All these improvements help to further protect the Finley River while providing economic development opportunities for areas north of the Finley River.
Street Improvements:
Thanks to the Transportation Sales Tax renewed in 2022, our crews and contractors continue an aggressive rehabilitation and repair program. Over 13,700 linear feet of roadway improvements were completed based upon a data-driven Pavement Condition Index or PCI. Crews used a variety of street rehab methods including:
- Full Depth Reconstruction of Failing Streets
- Mill and Fill Overlays
- Advanced Microsurfacing to Increase the Longevity of Residential Streets
Additionally, over 550 work orders were completed to help ensure that our streets and storm inlets are functioning in an efficient manner.
Trail / Greenway Improvements:
2024 was another great year for adding to our rapidly expanding trail and greenway network. In December the City worked with our partners at Tracker Marine to complete the construction of over 4,300 linear feet of 10’ concrete trails. This is the third phase of a multi-phase project known as the Chadwick Flyer. Community surveys and online polls have provided the City with a clear directive to continue to work with our regional partners to provide multi-modal paths to increase the quality of life in our beautiful community.
If you think 2024 was another great year for greenways, hold on to your hat. Design has been completed and soon we plan to move forward with the Chadwick Flyer Pedestrian Overpass in 2025. The Board of Aldermen recently reviewed a contract that includes another 6,723 linear feet of trail. Stay tuned for more exciting updates on the HWY 65 Pedestrian Overpass.