As WMU workers gear up for the challenges of 2017, General Manager Mike Flynn says his employees are coming off of the back of a successful 2016.

“We did a number of projects in 2016,” Flynn said.

In addition to a number of water improvements, WMU completed upgrades to the Kentucky River Pump Station, a project that cost $1.225 million.

The station is where WMU draws water from the Kentucky River, its primary water source, to be distributed among the utilities 30,000 customers. Improvements included the addition of one raw water vertical turbine pump, pump control valves, HVAC upgrades, electrical upgrades and other piping and valve improvements to make the site run more efficiently.

The utility has also completed designs for its Hampton Manor outfall sewer project.

The project is part of a consent decree agreed to by the utility and the Kentucky Division of Water to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) which cause contaminated water escape the sewer system during heavy rainfall events.

“With the completion of that project we will eliminate 21 of the 27 SSOs,” Flynn said.

He added that the remaining SSOs will be eliminated in future projects to be completed between 2021 and 2025 — the decree’s deadline.

Working in conjunction with the city, WMU also completed the Maple Street sewer replacement project, which replaced an aging private sanitary sewer system while rehabilitating the storm sewer system in the area.

Looking ahead at work to be done, Flynn said one area the utility will address in the future is water pressure.

“One of the things we’re looking at is a project we call the elevated pressure zone number 3,” he said.

The project involves identifying areas where people’s water pressure could be improved in areas of the community where it is weaker.

“We’re looking at different the options available moving forward to address those types of problems in our system,” Flynn said.

Other projects WMU completed in 2016 include:

—Crawford Avenue water improvements

—Water transmission improvements

—WMU transfer station paving project

—Lexington Avenue improvements project

—WMU transfer truck scale installation

—Ecton Road elevated storage tank rehabilitation

—Recycling center concrete pavement replacement

—Fire hydrant painting

—Hughes Avenue sewer replacement

—East/West interceptor sewer cleaning

—Crawford Avenue water improvements

—Water transmission improvements

—Two Mile Road/Autumn Court water improvements