MURFREESBORO – The countdown is on.

The town of Murfreesboro is hoping to have the moratorium on sewer service lifted in the next six months.

Robert Graham of George Finch/Boney and Associates told Councilman Wayne Brown Tuesday he felt six months was a &uot;decent target.&uot;

Graham appeared before the board during their regular meeting Tuesday to update Mayor Ben McLean and the board on the expansion of Murfreesboro’s Wastewater Treatment Facility.

He said after study, he had been able to avoid one of the wetlands areas that had previously been a problem with locating the lagoon and had incorporated another one.

&uot;We moved the lagoon a little further south, closer to the river,&uot; Graham said.

According to his report, a Wetland Consultant would soon finish his preliminary report which would be followed by a visit from the Army Corps of Engineers to see if the plan would be approved.

The mayor asked if a site had been found for the spray field and Graham said it had.

&uot;Can we do that first to try and get off this moratorium,&uot; McLean asked.

Graham said the plan currently would call for taking care of the spray field first and ending the moratorium before proceeding with the lagoon.

Councilman Bill Theodorakis asked how long it would take the Army Corps of Engineers to respond.

&uot;I’m not sure,&uot; Graham said, &uot;but I would hope within 30 days.&uot;

Brown then asked how soon the town could expect to be off the moratorium that was currently keeping them from adding new customers.

&uot;I think six months would be a decent target,&uot; Graham said.

Graham also indicated the area of wetlands that would have to be filled would be about an acre and a half, according to the first estimate.