Vicksburg officials are hoping for approval of a Public Facilities Community Development Block Grant application to help cover the costs of a $1.2 million project to replace a 41-year-old clarifier at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday approved a resolution seeking the grant and agreeing to follow the grant terms, which include hiring minority workers and contractors.

Public Works Director Garnet Van Norman said the grant would cover one-third, or about $400,000 of the project’s cost.

He said the treatment plant’s primary clarifier, which was installed when the plant was built in 1973, needs replacing.

He said it is one of two clarifiers at the plant. He said the clarifiers allow solids to settle out of the wastewater as part of the sewage treatment process.

“When water enters the system, it goes through a grate, which catches the larger solids. From there, it goes to a primary clarifier, where smaller solids settle before the water goes through the treatment process,” he said, adding the water goes through the second clarifier after the treatment process.

The city in June signed a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency after it cited the city for allowing raw sewage to be dumped into the Mississippi River and other local streams over a five-year period. Besides paying a $17,000 fine, the city was required to develop and implement a plan for upgrading and improving its sanitary sewer system.

Van Norman said the clarifier replacement is not part of the consent decree, adding the project is required under the city’s license and certification with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

In another matter, the board awarded a contract to MS Audio Systems LLC of Clinton to install a new sound system at the Vicksburg Convention Center for $85,400.

The board on April 25 declared an emergency to purchase a new system for the 17-year-old convention center. The decision allowed the board to get quotes for a new system instead of going through the bid process.

City officials said MS Audio had the lower of two bids. The other bidder was Sound & Communications Inc. of Jackson, convention center officials, however, would not release the company’s bid.