photo by Crystal Reed
City Council members, contractors and water plant employees gathered to cut the ribbon on the City of Sullivan’s new water treatment plant on Thursday, November 16.

•November 22, 2023•

by Crystal Reed

An open house was held at the City of Sullivan’s new water treatment plant in the evening of Thursday, November 16. A ribbon cutting by the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce and Economic Opportunity kicked off the event. Construction on the plant began June 6, 2022. 

Commissioner Chuck Woodworth said the planning and designing of the plant began around August 2019 but it took 14 months for the EPA to issue a construction permit because of COVID. At that time EPA employees were working at home remotely.

Woodworth said that the major factor in building the new water treatment plant was several changes with EPA regulations. “Meeting the new requirements would have been almost $9 million and there was not enough room around the old plant to build the new requirements, which was another softener unit,” he said “The condition of the wood frame buildings and several other factors.” Woodworth said the options were to spend $9 million in updates to a 30 year old plant or $12 million on a new plant. Read More

Delaney Miller

Delaney Miller

Gabe Benning

Photos submitted

Okaw Valley Illinois State Scholars

The Illinois State Scholar designation is awarded to high school seniors based on ACT or SAT test scores and the sixth semester class size and unweighted class rank and Grade Point Average (GPA). ISAC gathers student data during one academic year that is used in making students awards for the following academic year. Test scores are gathered from the testing companies for the ACT and SAT exams taken during the student’s third and fourth semester prior to graduation. Each student designated as a State Scholar receives a congratulatory letter, a Certificate of Achievement and statewide recognition in the news media.