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# Sewer Project Nears Completion, But the Work Is Deeper Than That
- URL: https://www.thestreatorstandard.com/f/sewer-project-nears-completion-but-the-work-is-deeper-than-that/
- Published: 2025-06-19T17:33:39.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T13:59:03.000Z
- Author: The Streator Standard
- Tags: News

Mayor Tara Bedei has announced that the Leroy & Milner sewer separation project is nearly complete—a milestone in the city’s long and winding journey to get its pipes in a row.

This particular phase includes over 4,000 feet of new storm sewer, new inlet and manhole structures, and a significant expansion of the city’s stormwater infrastructure as part of the broader “Coal Run Creek” interceptor sewer project. That name alone should clue you in—this isn’t just about water, it’s about 1,000 acres of catchment area that the system will now handle more efficiently.

It’s all part of a years-long, federally encouraged (read: required) push to separate Streator’s sanitary sewers from storm drains. The Environmental Protection Agency mandates it, but it turns out it’s also just common sense—no one wants to treat clean rainwater like it’s raw sewage. That kind of unnecessary work overwhelms treatment plants, drives up costs, and risks sending untreated waste into local waterways during storms.

Each phase of this project inches Streator toward something radical: a functioning, forward-looking, and legally compliant sewer system. While it may not dazzle like new sidewalks or murals, this is infrastructure in its most literal sense—laying the groundwork beneath our feet so the rest of the city can thrive above it.

The project received a helpful nudge in the form of congressionally directed funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Yes, Streator actually landed a slice of federal money without needing to build a highway to nowhere or host an Amazon warehouse.

As restoration wraps up in the coming weeks, residents may soon forget this project ever happened—which, in a way, is the point. When infrastructure works, it fades into the background. But make no mistake: this is exactly the kind of gritty, unglamorous work that builds lasting resilience.

If we want Streator to be a place where future generations can dig deeper without hitting a crisis, this is how you start.

And if you're wondering whether this signals the end of orange cones and blocked streets in that part of town—let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The only thing flowing faster than stormwater right now is the list of future infrastructure needs.

Let’s celebrate the win, but keep digging.