(https://gmpg.org/xfn/11) (https://fonts.googleapis.com) (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Oswald%253Awght@200..700&display=swap.css) (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Oswald%253Awght@200..700&display=swap.css)  (../../../fonts.googleapis.com/css@family=Noto+Sans%253A300,400,400i,700%257CNoto+Serif%253A400,700%257COpen+Sans%253A300,300i,400,400i,500,700&display=swap.css) (../../../cdn.jsdelivr.net/jquery.slick/1.6.0/slick-theme.css) (../../../cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/7.0.0/css/all.min.css) (../../../cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/7.0.0/css/all.min.css)   First phases of $40M water, sewer improvements being completed - The Dispatch  (index.html)                  (https://static.addtoany.com/)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/)  (The Dispatch » Feed) (https://cdispatch.com/feed/)  (The Dispatch » iCal Feed) (https://cdispatch.com/events/?ical=1)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall/css/lp-list-builder.css@ver=5.2.1.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall/css/issuem-leaky-paywall.css@ver=5.2.1.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/leaky-paywall-trials/css/style.css@ver=1.9.8.css)  (../../wp-content/themes/commercial_dispatch_v3/css/theme.min.css@ver=.1767201025.css)  (../../wp-content/themes/commercial_dispatch_v3/css/style.css@ver=1788273202.css)  (../../wp-content/plugins/add-to-any/addtoany.min.css@ver=1.16.css)  (https://cdispatch.com/wp-json/tribe/events/v1/)  (../../../e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png@strip=all&resize=32,32)  (../../../e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png@strip=all&resize=192,192)  (https://e4sh3cjh5t7.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cropped-dispatch-red-d-logo-2.png?strip=all&resize=180%2C180)      (index.html#content) Skip to content (Site search)  (index.html#) Sections    (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries  (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition  (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate     (https://cdispatch.com/) (Dispatch Mobile Logo)   (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=offer_button&utm_content=top) Subscribe  (https://cdispatch.com/login-page) Login      (search...)    October 16, 2026     QUICK LINKS (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries  (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition  (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate   (https://cdispatch.com/news/) News  (https://cdispatch.com/news/columbus-lowndes-county/) Columbus & Lowndes County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-oktibbeha-county/) Starkville & Oktibbeha County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/west-point-clay-county/) West Point & Clay County  (https://cdispatch.com/news/area/) Area  (https://cdispatch.com/news/state/) State  (https://cdispatch.com/news/national/) National  (https://cdispatch.com/news/business/) Business   (https://cdispatch.com/sports/) Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/high-school-sports/) High School Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/college-sports/) College Sports  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/local-columns-sports/) Local Columns   (https://cdispatch.com/eedition/) eEdition   (https://cdispatch.com/events/) Events   (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/) Opinions  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/local-columns/) Local Columns  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/) Letters to the Editor  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/roses-thorns/) Roses & Thorns  (https://cdispatch.com/opinions/dispatch-editorials/) Dispatch Editorials   (https://cdispatch.com/obituaries/) Obituaries   (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/) Lifestyles  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/columns-lifestyle/) Columns  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/entertainment/) Entertainment  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/food/) Food  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/transitions-announcements/) Transitions & Announcements  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/community/) Community  (https://cdispatch.com/lifestyles/religion/) Religion   (http://ads.cdispatch.com/) Classifieds   (https://cdispatch.com/gallery/) Photo Galleries   (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/) Public Records  (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/building-permits/) Building Permits  (https://cdispatch.com/public-records/marriages-divorces/) Marriages & Divorces   (https://cdispatch.com/subscriber-profile/) My Account        October 16, 2026   (https://cdispatch.com/) (Dispatch Logo) Open eyes, open minds.     Serving Columbus & Starkville, Mississippi        (https://cdstg1922.wpenginepowered.com/) Home  » (https://cdstg1922.wpenginepowered.com/news/) News  » First phases of $40M water, sewer improvements being completed   (https://cdispatch.com/news/) News   First phases of $40M water, sewer improvements being completed By (https://cdispatch.com/author/pgreencdispatch-com/) Paloma Green  • 14 hours ago  • 3 mins to read   (First phases of $40M water, sewer improvements being completed)   Resident Kathy Anderson, left, talks to Edward Kemp, general manager for Starkville Utilities, Tuesday night at The Montgomery B&B. Kemp provided an update on ongoing utility projects as part of a town hall hosted by Ward 5 Alderman William Pochop. Paloma Green/Dispatch Staff  STARKVILLE – Starkville’s wastewater treatment plant improvements and a new water well are both expected to be completed by fall 2027, with the first part of the treatment plant improvements completed earlier this month. The projects are among $40 million worth of improvements being made to the plant and the water system after studies found more than $90 million of needed upgrades for both systems after years of neglected maintenance, Edward Kemp, general manager for Starkville Utilities, told about 15 residents who attended a town hall meeting hosted Tuesday by Ward 5 Alderman William Pochop. (https://cdispatch.com/news/spruill-outraised-opponents-by-10-times-most-from-her-own-pocket/attachment/pochop-william-2024/) ()    William Pochop   (https://cdispatch.com/news/utility-leaders-infrastructure-key-to-avoiding-local-water-crisis/attachment/kemp-edward-2022/) ()    Edward Kemp    “We’re playing catch-up from a lot of deferred maintenance that’s occurred for many decades,” Kemp told The Dispatch, “So that is part of it, but with any utility system you need to be making continued improvements.” Kemp said critical upgrades of Starkville’s wastewater plant, including replacing six aerators that failed in 2019 and a full electrical replacement, were completed on Oct. 1. The project cost $9 million. A second project underway at the treatment plant, with a $13 million price tag, will expand the plant’s capacity to allow the city to accommodate its growing population. The project is about 20% complete with Kemp projecting the additional capacity should be finished by fall 2027. Kemp said the additional improvements suggested by the study are still three to four years away from even entering the design phase. The remaining $18 million is going toward funding about 15 to 20 smaller projects across both the water and wastewater systems, all of which are expected to be completed in the next five years. The largest of those is a new water treatment plant and two new wells that will bring the city’s total to nine. The city’s eighth well is under construction and should be completed within a year, Kemp said. The city has secured $15 million in external funding for the improvements, but to provide more funding, aldermen in September approved Starkville Utilities’ request for a (https://cdispatch.com/news/starkville-utilities-proposes-2-annual-electric-rate-increases-through-2028/) 2% annual rate increase to help cover the company’s shortfall. Kemp addressed the increases during the meeting, and afterward Pochop told The Dispatch he feels residents understand the need to raise rates by the end of the town hall. “Edward spent half an hour explaining the multi, multi, multi million dollar investments in our infrastructure for several things,” Pochop said. “… Our city made a decision to make investments instead of placing bandaids, I think everyone there understands that. Although Kemp said he does not currently predict increasing rates again in the future, he did not make any guarantees. “The additional rate increase is modeled out,” said Kemp. “But you don’t know how much exactly it’s going to generate, but it’s tracking well. I don’t think we’re going to have to have any additional rate increases.” (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdispatch.com%2Fnews%2Ffirst-phases-of-40m-water-sewer-improvements-being-completed%2F&linkname=First%20phases%20of%20%2440M%20water%2C%20sewer%20improvements%20being%20completed) (Copy Link)  (https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcdispatch.com%2Fnews%2Ffirst-phases-of-40m-water-sewer-improvements-being-completed%2F&linkname=First%20phases%20of%20%2440M%20water%2C%20sewer%20improvements%20being%20completed) (Email)  (https://www.addtoany.com/share)      You can help your community Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.   (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=button&utm_campaign=offer_button&utm_content=below-article-cta) Subscribe     READER FAVORITES (https://cdispatch.com/news/clw-general-manager-wants-19-raise/) (CLW general manager wants 19% raise) (CLW general manager wants 19% raise)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/clw-general-manager-wants-19-raise/) (CLW general manager wants 19% raise) CLW general manager wants 19% raise  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/ask-the-dispatch-why-is-there-a-t-rex-at-propst-park/) (Ask The Dispatch: Why is there a T rex at Propst Park?) (Ask The Dispatch: Why is there a T rex at Propst Park?)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/ask-the-dispatch-why-is-there-a-t-rex-at-propst-park/) (Ask The Dispatch: Why is there a T rex at Propst Park?) Ask The Dispatch: Why is there a T rex at Propst Park?  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/emcraecdispatch-com/) Emma McRae  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/new-msu-composites-program-to-address-workforce-shortage/) (New MSU composites program to address workforce shortage) (New MSU composites program to address workforce shortage)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/new-msu-composites-program-to-address-workforce-shortage/) (New MSU composites program to address workforce shortage) New MSU composites program to address workforce shortage  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/bsimmons/) Braden Simmons  • 2 days ago    (https://cdispatch.com/news/22nd-annual-caledonia-days-shoots-for-20k-visitors-this-weekend/) (22nd annual Caledonia Days shoots for 20K visitors this weekend) (22nd annual Caledonia Days shoots for 20K visitors this weekend)    (https://cdispatch.com/news/22nd-annual-caledonia-days-shoots-for-20k-visitors-this-weekend/) (22nd annual Caledonia Days shoots for 20K visitors this weekend) 22nd annual Caledonia Days shoots for 20K visitors this weekend  By (https://cdispatch.com/author/pgreencdispatch-com/) Paloma Green  • 2 days ago              (https://cdispatch.com/popular-content/) Popular  (https://cdispatch.com/news/former-vp-harris-to-campaign-with-colom-in-columbus/) Kamala Harris to visit Columbus, campaign with Colom  October 14, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/clw-general-manager-wants-19-raise/) CLW general manager wants 19% raise  October 14, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/community-profile-columbus-woman-takes-on-long-distance-running-for-friend-cause/) Community Profile: Columbus woman takes on long-distance running for friend, cause  October 13, 2026     (https://cdispatch.com/news/mary-means-business-mobile-bookstore-prepares-for-starkville-opening/) Mary Means Business: Mobile bookstore prepares for Starkville opening  October 15, 2026         On This Day in 2025  (https://cdispatch.com/sports/who-has-the-edge-mississippi-state-at-florida/) (Who has the edge? Mississippi State at Florida)    (https://cdispatch.com/sports/who-has-the-edge-mississippi-state-at-florida/) Who has the edge? Mississippi State at Florida  October 16, 2025 By Colin Damms          Featured Podcasts  (https://www.buzzsprout.com/645052) (The C Dispatch Podcast)   (https://cdispatch.com/podcast/) (Between The Headlines Podcast)        (https://cdispatch.com/) (The Dispatch)   Serving Columbus & Starkville, Mississippi. (https://www.facebook.com/TheDispatch/)   (https://www.instagram.com/cdispatch/)   (https://x.com/cdispatch)    (https://cdispatch.com/about/) About  (https://cdispatch.com/tips/) Submit a Tip    Newsletter Our headlines, delivered to your inbox. Sign up for Morning Shot , our flagship daily briefing of the day's news.  (1)  Email address (you@example.com)  Sign up  ()   (https://cdispatch.com/newsletters/) See all newsletters → Free. Unsubscribe anytime.       Info (https://ads.cdispatch.com) Classifieds  (https://progressmag.com) Progress Magazine  (https://lowndesil.org) Free Books for Kids  (https://donate.cdispatch.com) Donate for Journalism     Contact (tel:6623282424) (662) 328-2424  Newsroom 516 Main Street Columbus, MS 39701 Mailing PO Box 511 Columbus, MS 39703       Copyright © 2026 Commercial Dispatch Publishing Co., Inc.  (https://cdispatch.com/terms/) Terms (https://cdispatch.com/privacy/) Privacy       Unlock this article. Just sign in. Have an account? Sign in. New here? Get more access in seconds. Email Address () (Enter your email)    Continue  Yes! I would like to receive content in my inbox.       Keep reading - subscribe today You're one step away from unlimited access to the most in-depth Golden Triangle reporting available. (https://cdispatch.com/subscribe/) Get Unlimited Access      (index.html#top) (ToTop)