The Cherokee City Council discussed a delay with its wastewater treatment plant relocation project in its meeting Tuesday.
After speaking with FEMA representatives, city officials found out the project is unable to move forward due to it failing to meet one of three requirements.
FEMA officials determined the project failed to meet the repetitive damages requirement to qualify for relocation, as first reported by KTIV. The 2024 flood is the first time the plant suffered damages.
Tony Puffett, mayor of Cherokee, said the plant has been in poor condition since the flood, and the city will have to go back to revise estimates.
Puffett added the city needs to consider what mitigation efforts it can apply to the plant to restore it to proper condition.
He said with the setback, relocating or repairing the treatment plant will now take three to five years.
The city had been working on a relocation plan for the past year based on FEMA guidelines.
