KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
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Blue Springs residents will vote in April to approve $65 million in revenue bonds to fund critical upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment system, including major improvements to the Sni-A-Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The city council voted Monday night to put the bond issue up for a vote on April 7.
The proposed bond issue would finance renovations, construction and improvements to Blue Springs' combined water and sewer system. The largest component involves bringing the Sni-A-Bar facility into compliance with new environmental standards set by state and federal regulators.
In July 2025, KSHB 41 News covered the issue when Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe vetoed parts of a bill that would've included $12 million in funding for the project.
At a May 6, 2024, council meeting, HDR Engineering presented details of the facility upgrade plan. The presentation outlined requirements from a Missouri State Operating Permit issued by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, effective Dec. 1, 2023.
The permit mandates the plant meet final effluent limits for ammonia, total phosphorus and total nitrogen within seven years. These standards were established by the Environmental Protection Agency to improve water quality.
To achieve compliance, HDR recommended extensive improvements, including replacing aging equipment in the liquid treatment process and constructing new facilities for chemical and biological treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus.
If approved by voters, the project would receive financing through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. This program provides loan funding at below-market interest rates, reducing overall project costs for the city.
Blue Springs owns and operates the Sni-A-Bar facility but shares it with the city of Grain Valley.
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