The state Department of Commerce recently announced the city of Westport was selected for a $1.6 million construction loan for upgrades to sewer pump stations 4 and 5 from the state Public Works Board.

Westport was one of 38 cities out of 68 applicants to get funding for its project through the highly competitive program.

There are 13 pump stations in the city of Westport, said Public Works Director Kevin Goodrich. With work already underway on four pump stations, and with the new funding announced for two more, the city will be left with just three pump stations to be upgraded as part of the city’s Sewer System Capital Improvement Plan.

Pump stations 4 and 5 were next on the plan’s priority list.

“These projects involve utilizing existing locations and some infrastructure while upgrading pumps, piping controls and telemetry (communications),” said Goodrich. “While still operational, the facilities have reached the end of their projected operational life expectancy and are being upgraded for reliability, safety and efficiency.”

The city’s sewer service area includes the area within the city limits and reaches just outside the city limits on the south border to Twin Harbors State Park and the Ocosta School District and several other commercial and residential users.

“The sanitary sewer collection system — sewer only, not combined with stormwater — consists of approximately 17.5 miles of gravity sewer and 13 pump stations,” said Goodrich. “The majority of the connections to the system are comprised of private businesses and residences.”

Other sources of funding were secured over previous years for upgrades on four other pump stations currently in progress.

“We received funding from the Public Works Board for two sewer pump stations, and also funding from Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant Program for one pump station, and the Department of Ecology for another,” said Goodrich. “Four sanitary sewer lift station upgrades, three funding agencies, bundled into one large project.”

Rognlin’s is doing the work on the current projects, and the funding breaks down like this: Stations 8 and 9, constructed in 1976, a $1.46 million state Public Works Board loan; station 11 at Ocosta School District, constructed in 1986, $750,000 Community Development Block Fund grant from Commerce; and station 12, constructed in 1976, $726,500 from the Department of Ecology — that funding included a $437,929 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan, a $40,075 Forgivable Principal Loan, and a $248,496 Centennial Grant.