LIBERTY — The City of Liberty has been approved for an additional $504,000 loan to expand upgrades and improvements to wastewater treatment.

The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority approved the half-million-dollar loan at its December board meeting, according to a news release from KIA.

“The upgrades and improvements to the wastewater treatment focus on addressing wet weather flows, with the addition of a 1.5-million gallon flow equalization basin and a duplex submersible pump station for wet weather conditions,” according to the release. “The project will also upgrade or replace plant components that have outlived their intended usage, including the raw sewage flow meter and the grit removal equipment. A static screen, sludge treatment equipment and a blower will be added in addition to laboratory and office facilities with modern instrumentation and controls.”

The $504,000 loan is augmenting a $4.1 million project already approved in May 2015. That project fixes problems noted in an agreed order between Liberty and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection from August 2014, according to KIA. Liberty was required to pay a $3,000 fine under the order.

Construction is expected to start in February and take one year to complete, according to KIA. The City of Liberty serves 875 residential and commercial water customers.