Stockton Town Council voted Thursday to present the Utah Water Quality Board with a proposal that would pay for a new sewer system as part of the federal government stimulus package.

In front of a crowd of approximately 50 Stockton residents, all four council members unanimously agreed they would take the next step toward a city-wide sewer system that would replace the current septic system.

“We’re probably going to be asking for $10 million total,” said Stockton Mayor Dan Rydalch. “I think $4 or $3.5 million will be a loan and the rest will be a grant if they give it to us.”

The Utah Water Quality Board meets April 1 in St. George. If they deny the town’s request, or state a figure higher than $43 per month for residents as their sewer bill, the proposal will be dead.

Stockton residents currently pay $34 for garbage and water. The new sewer system will tack on a separate $43 to residents’ bills for a total of $77 a month for these services. When the plan was originally drawn up in 2005, estimates for the sewer system would have cost residents between $55 and $75 for sewer alone.

“This gets us back to the original price a month when we first started,” Rydalch said. “It’s a good deal to get the money.”

Rydalch said some of the residents in attendance at the meeting were concerned with hooking up their homes to the proposed sewer line, which could cost around $2,500.

“They’re going to have to pay the price to hook up to the town’s line,” he said. “The USDA told us they could help with individual loans if we need it.”

Lower income residents can also apply for a community block grant for help getting hooked up to the line. Where the hook-ups are located can also raise or lower the price. If the hook-ups are in the back of the house it will cost more to run a line to where the sewer line would be at the front of the house.

“Other people were concerned with how it will slow down traffic while under construction,” said Rydalch, adding that the main line would run down Connor Avenue. “Tearing up the roads was a concern, but our roads are so bad I’m hoping it will make it better when they’re through.”

Because all of the plans for this project are already put together, Rydalch said they could bid the project by June 1.

“Hopefully we can get the money to do it,” Rydalch said, “because we need to do it.”

Missy Thompson: missy@tooeletranscript.com