The city of Calera is one step closer to finalizing plans for an $8 million wastewater treatment plant, according to Mayor George Roy.

Roy said no artifacts were revealed in an archaeological survey of the proposed location and the city will go forward with plans to build on that site.

&uot;Friends of Camp Branch Creek&uot; objected to the city’s original proposal for the sewer location, claiming it was too close to homes in the area.

Representatives of the group suggested the city council look at an alternate site about a mile away near highway 70.

Roy and the council agreed to build on the alternate site provided it pass the archaeological survey.

&uot;We are still waiting on some letters to come back from some agencies before this is complete,&uot; Roy said. &uot;But we expect those in the next few days.&uot;

The new plant will treat around 3.5 million gallons of water a day, according to Ben Carr of Carr and Associates.

He said the plant should be in the detail and design stage by spring and could be in operation as early as the fall of 2004.

Donald Murphy, a member of &uot;Friends of Camp Branch&uot;, said the new site is a &uot;win, win&uot; situation for the city and the group.

&uot;It sounds great to us,&uot; he said. &uot;The mayor and Mr. Carr have been good about keeping us informed along the way.&uot;

The city of Calera applied for a $3.4 million grant and $4.6 million loan from the U. S. Department of Agriculture to fund the project.

&uot;It looks like the grant and loan are going to work out,&uot; Murphy said. &uot;The city didn’t want to jeopardize the grant and we certainly understood that.&uot;

Carr said the new plant will use the most recent technology available and could double the city’s wastewater treatment capabilities