MERIDIAN —     A deadline is approaching for the Meridian City Council to present a plan to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality about issues regarding wastewater discharge.

    During a work session of the council on Tuesday, Michael Caples, an attorney with Butler/Snow Law Firm, recommended that the city take steps to establish a regional wastewater and water authority.

    "It would manage the water, wastewater and it could manage storm water if the city ever got to the point where it was required by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations," Caples said.

    The council has until September to present a plan to the DEQ.

    Caples has been working on the issue for about five years, he said.

    DEQ was initially going to fine the city around $75,000 for violations in the operation its aging wastewater  treatment plant, but that amount was reduced to $52,500 in October, 2011.

    At the time the council agreed to pay $26,250 directly to DEQ and, as a stipulation of the settlement, use the other $26,250 to develop a plan for a regional wastewater and water utility authority.

    A seven-member board would be established, with four appointees from the Meridian City Council, two appointees from Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors and one appointee from the city of Marion.

    It would likely be called the East Central Mississippi Regional Joint Water and Wastewater Management District and could be a boost to economic development, Caples said.

    "If you had a large economic development project that was occurring outside the city limits," he said, "this district would be able to provide water and sewer services to that entity without having to go through the Public Service Commission."

    This will not affect customers who get water from rural water associations and who have septic systems for sewage.

    "We're not telling you we're going to be putting water and sewer everywhere in the county," Caples said. "That's not feasible and you don't need it."

    Once the water management district is formed, it will mandate that whatever water or wastewater infrastructure improvements take place in the county will have to meet city standards.

    "If the city, in the future, does annex areas, you don't have to spend money to upgrade those new areas because they will have to meet current city regulations," Caples said.

    The city council will, if necessary, have the ability to levy a special tax not to exceed 2 mills on property in the district to be paid to the district authority to prepare and implement the water management plan.

    Caples told the council that whatever they decide, something has to be done about the city's aging wastewater treatment plants and the EPA is encouraging municipalities to go the route of regional authorities.

    "This city or this district is going to have to spend a large amount of money to fix what's happening to wastewater," Caples said.

    This and other issues will be addressed Tuesday at the Council's regularly scheduled meeting at 9 a.m. at City Hall.