Bolton breaks ground on sewer system

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

Friday’s rain didn’t stop the symbolic first shovels of dirt being turned on Bolton’s long-awaited sewer system.

Area municipal and county officials joined engineers, developers and representatives from Frank Horne Construction for the 3 p.m. ceremony. The a was held in conjunction with the Pine Tree Festival.

“We’re celebrating a milestone in Bolton today,” said Mayor Frank Wilson. “Not only is this going to be better for our residents, but it’s going to open the door for good development and jobs in Bolton and all of Columbus County.

“And even better,” Wilson smiled, “we don’t have to pay back any of the money.”

Bolton’s connector to the Whiteville wastewater treatment plant is being paid for through grants from the Rural Center and other agencies. Wilson thanked Billy Hall of the Rural Center, Sen. R.C. Soles and Rep. Dewey Hill for their assistance in obtaining the grants.

The system will be one of the first regional wastewater efforts in this part of the state. State and federal environmental agencies began encouraging communities to build regional waste systems in recent years to cut down on groundwater contamination.

Bolton will use grinders to reduce the mass of waste in the system, making it easier to transfer to Whiteville. In the event of a power outage, the system can be manually pumped to avoid overflows. The system is scheduled to be completed at roughly the same time as renovations to the Whiteville wastewater treatment plant.

Lake Waccamaw is considering joining the project, which passes a short distance from the town. Lake mayor Ivan Wilson congratulated Wilson and the Town of Bolton Friday, saying the town is “planning for the future.”

Whiteville Mayor Dial Gray pointed out that the planned line for the project is an eight-inch line, but Whiteville, Bolton and Lake officials are working with the state to expand that to 12 inches.

“We want to be ready for whatever development happens down here,” Gray said. “There will be a lot of room for development along the route, and we all need good, quality development and jobs in Columbus County.”

County Commissioner Sammy Jacobs said “Bolton is my home town, and I’m glad to see this happening.

“I hope we can work together to see this line through to the county line,” Jacobs said. “When we can get jobs here, we can bring back some of our young people who have moved away, and hopefully keep some of those who might have to leave to find work.”

Outside the town hall, the Bolton Board of Aldermen joined other guests under a tent by the Youth-Senior Center. A variety of shovels and spades were handed out as the board prepared to break ground on the project.

As spectators gathered under umbrellas and on the center’s porch, Wilson smiled and took a better grip on his shovel.

“We aren’t going to let a little rain stop us now,” he said. “We’ve been working for this a long time.”