INTRODUCTION:

​The purpose of this website link is to provide residents of the Donovan Smith MHP (the “Community”) with regular updates on the status of the Community’s efforts to connect to the City of Lewes Board of Public Works (“BPW”) public sanitary sewer system and public water utility system (the “Project”). Here you will find copies of the Community’s latest Corrective Action Plan (“CAP”), copies of the most recent pumping records for the existing On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Systems (“OWTDSs”), and various other documentation regarding the status of the Project. Thank you for your interest in these important efforts.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND:

Consistent with Governor John Carney’s Clean Water for Delaware Initiative, the BPW intends to improve the sewer and water utility infrastructure for the Community by installing approximately 5,000 feet of 8-inch PVC sewer main (connected into the existing BPW collection system on Donovans Road), 23 manholes with frames and covers, and approximately 1,500 feet of 6-inch PVC house sewer services with wye fittings and cleanouts to the edge of the existing interior roadway to serve the 130 manufactured home units, along with approximately 700 feet of 10-inch PVC water main (connected into the existing BPW water distributions system on Donovans Road), 4,500 feet of 6-inch water main internal to the Property, 15 fire hydrants with valves and valve boxes, 21 valves (either 6-inch or 10-inch) and valve boxes, and approximately 1,500 feet of 1-inch PE house service pipe with corporation stops and curb valves and boxes to the edge of the existing interior roadway to serve the 130 manufactured home units, in addition to the associated restoration of approximately 8,200 square yards of asphalt paving within the Community and along Donovans Road, along with other associated improvements, all as shown in the plans on file with the BPW’s engineer (the “Utility Improvements”).  Once completed, the Utility Improvements within the Community will be owned by the BPW and shall be dedicated to the BPW, along with appropriate easements for the ongoing operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of same.  Funding for the Utility Improvements will be provided by two grant loans from State agencies — $2,283,063.00 from the DNREC Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $2,638,659.00 from the DHSS Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (the “Utility Improvement Loans”).  The Community owner will reimburse the BPW for all loan interest, and upon completion of the Utility Improvements, DNREC and DHSS will forgive the principal amount of each loan.

At this juncture, the Utility Improvement Loans have been approved by the Delaware Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, the Community has been formally annexed into the territorial limits of the City of Lewes (effective April 14, 2022), the Community owner has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) for the Project (the Community owner signed on April 19, 2022), and the BPW has awarded a contract to Teal Construction and issued a notice to proceed with construction of the Utility Improvements (March 2023).  Construction of the Utility Improvements commenced in April 2023 and are expected to be completed in late 2024.

Latest Updates:

See the attached Progress Meeting Minutes dated March 6, 2024.

Stay tuned for further updates!

ATTACHMENTS: