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Water line to L-P plant finally goes out for bids Water appears to be finally on the way to the new Louisiana Pacific plant under construction just south of Thomasville. The Thomasville Water Works and Sewer Board Monday voted to advertise for bids for the new water and sewer extension to serve the oriented strand board (OSB) mill. Thomasville's hopes for a regional water system have run into one stumbling block after another and many connected with the new plant have worried about LP's water service as the facility continues construction, moving toward a startup date of late 2007. However, Thomasville Mayor Sheldon Day said water service for the new plant was never dependent on the regional water plant. He said Thomasville's present water system can adequately serve the new plant. EDA (Economic Development Administration) grant funds along with a USDA loan of about $900,000 from the city, some $1.8 million total, is enabling the extension. Day is still pushing for the regional system though, saying it would provide water for the growing city and region. The proposed women's correctional facility alone, he said as an example, would have the water consumption of a small town. The new system would draw water from the Alabama River just as Thomasville's current water provider, Pine Hill, does now but the capacity would be greater. The regional system has a price tag of $18 million and Day said $6 million in grant funds are in hand and another $2 million grant that was forfeited earlier is being reapplied for and should be assured. That still leaves $10 million and Day said the USDA could provide a grant for all but 25 percent, or $2.5 million, which would be financed by a low interest USDA loan.
Steel prices have a big affect on the cost of the system, Day explained, noting that 16 miles of pipe will be required from the river to Thomasville. Even a small drop in steel prices could greatly impact the cost.
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