A presentation on the Mint Lane pump station

The EPA Consent Decree requires Lexington to make major improvements to this pump station.

A presentation on the Mint Lane pump station

In Tuesday, August 12th's Environmental Quality and Public Works (EQPW) Committee, Water Quality Director Charlie Martin will give a presentation on proposed improvements to the Mint Lane pump station.

  • What's a Pump Station? They are pieces of infrastructure that move storm and sewer water from homes, businesses, and other buildings to water and sewer treatment plants.

The Mint Lane pump station serves west Lexington in the Beaumont area. Improvements to the pump station are required by Lexington's EPA Consent Decree with the federal government.

  • There have been 28 reported overflows from the pump station since 2015.
  • 12.9 million gallons of untreated sewage have leaked in the same time frame.

🙋‍♀️ What is the EPA Consent Decree?

In 2006, the EPA and the Commonwealth of Kentucky filed a lawsuit against Lexington for violating the Clean Water Act, arguing that the city had failed to properly maintain its sanitary and storm sewer systems.

These violations caused pollution and flooding of the waterways near the city, costing the state and federal governments significant environmental remediation costs.

This lawsuit resulted in a settlement between the three parties, called a Consent Decree, which mandated that Lexington spend close to $590 million to repair these systems by 2030.

You can learn more about the EPA Consent Decree here!

During the discussion around expanding the Urban Service Area in 2023, there was a lot of discussion around potentially moving the Mint Lane pump station to an area further downstream along Cave Creek if the USA expanded in that direction. However, the USA was not expanded in a way that allowed the pump station to be relocated efficiently.

The Division of Water Quality is proposing a timeline to design a new pump station in the same location by 2026. Construction would likely begin in 2027 or 2028.

Proposed improvements to the Mint Lane pump station. Source: August 12th EQPW Committee packet.
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Watch the meeting:
The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee will meet on Tuesday, August 12th at 1pm in Council Chambers. You can attend in-person or watch live on LexTV.
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How can you get involved?
Reach out to the Division of Water Quality here.

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