Benton Township’s project to construct a sewer line under the St. Joseph River to allow for a direct connection to the Joint Wastewater Treatment Plant is almost finished, and things have been going well.

The Benton Township Board of Trustees last week heard from Steve Ooosting of engineering firm Prein and Newhof that the biggest part of the work is finished.

“I’m pleased to report that the project has made substantial progress,” Oosting said. “The pipeline to be installed under the river is in fact now under the river. So that portion was successful. They’re working on the east side of the river crossing presently in Riverview Drive.”

Oosting said what’s left to do along Riverside is almost finished as well.

However, there has been one slight complication. Oosting said crews have discovered some groundwater contamination at the site of the plant and it now must be cleaned up. That meant a change order on the project, or an increase in the cost of $139,000. But then there was good news.

“With the portions of the project that are already complete, those portions of the project have been completed at, or even in some cases, below the original contract amount.”

So, Oosting said because of all the savings the project has thus far experienced, the change order won’t actually cost the township anything and the overall cost of the estimated $3.8 million sewer line has come in $46,000 under budget. Trustees chuckled at approving a change order that won’t actually cost the township anything, but they did approve it.

The purpose of the sewer line is to give Benton Township direct access to the treatment plant owned by Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. Currently, the township relies on the city of Benton Harbor for that connection.