It was all the way back in 2006 when the EPA and the state sued Lexington over Clean Water Act violations, leading to a long-term series of mandatory projects meant to be completed over the next 20 years.
Funding for the projects was a major issue at the time as the city took on the massive task of overhauling the system to the tune of $590 million.
Flash forward to today, nearly 18 years later, and Jillian Riseman with CivicLex says environmental workers will be offering the latest on Tuesday about where that undertaking stands.
"Actually, we have made quite a bit of progress," she says. "About 64% of all our projects are completed. Another 19% are in progress. So we'll hear an update on that."
In the meantime, the mandatory fixes have taken a toll on the city budget, taking dollars away from other potential projects and causing multiple increases in sewer fees over the years.
At the same time, the city has been recognized with a number of honors for its clean water programs built to address the issue.
