A potential partnership with Morgan County to bring sewer services to the future Interstate 69 corridor is off the table.
Johnson County had been pursuing a partnership with Morgan County for a $3.1 million wastewater plant being built in Waverly, but got word this week Morgan County would proceed without them.
The plant was intended to serve communities in western Johnson County and eastern Morgan County that would be connected by the future I-69 corridor. Both counties would have paid half the cost to build it — about $1.55 million each.
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners received a letter from the Morgan County Regional Sewer District Board which said the board is interested in future opportunities, but the expansion project is moving forward without a collaboration.
Johnson County businesses and residents may negotiate deals to hook onto the Waverly plant via metered connections, depending on available capacity at the plant, the letter said.
The Johnson and Morgan County boards of commissioners met virtually in April 2020 to discuss the partnership, but the talks did not go any further publicly.
Further discussion was had about the venture, but communication broke down and stalled the process, said Ron West, the commissioner who spearheaded the negotiations for Johnson County.
Another option to getting additional sewer service to facilitate growth in the corridor is funding a joint plant with Greenwood, something West said he has envisioned since 1995.
A joint venture would be beneficial to both the county and city, but those talks haven’t begun yet, he said.
Mainline construction of I-69 in Johnson County is set to begin next year. Economic development experts say some form of utilities will be needed to attract new businesses and housing developments to interchanges at State Road 144, Smith Valley Road and County Line Road.
