No timeline yet of when work will be complete 

MILL SPRING—People may have noticed some grading and work being done near the tennis courts at Polk County’s Recreation Park in Mill Spring this week.  

The work is to cut a road in and do needed repairs at Polk County’s wastewater treatment plant, located at the former Woodland Mills Plant.  

Polk County Manager Marche Pittman said this week the work has begun to cut in the new road and complete upgrades at the sewer plant.  

Polk County Commissioners approved a bid from Southeastern Asphalt earlier this year to complete the work for a total of $239,365. The county originally budgeted $250,000 for the work. The money for the project was taken from the county’s fund balance.  

Polk County Engineer Dave Odom told commissioners last year that the plant has had some challenges over the last two years. He said the plant is getting older and that investments were needed after the state has sent notices regarding the plant.  

Improvements will include an equalization basin, which is the majority of the costs.  

The access road is the other major expenditure in the project, which will go from the left of the tennis courts at the recreation park to the plant.  

Polk County built the new middle school and recreation park and when it did, it also purchased the wastewater treatment plant that used to serve Woodland Mills, which was shut down.  

The county’s wastewater treatment plant serves the Polk County Department of Social Services building and Polk County Middle School. .