WKYT Investigates: Growing pains in Scott County

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The demand for new homes continues to hit record highs nationwide.

One of the fastest growing counties in our state knows that firsthand. Scott County has a waiting list for new builds.

“We get a lot of phone calls. A lot of interest in this particular development here at the Pinnacle at Mallard Point,” notes Brad Haddix, with Haddix Construction. He and his uncle Paul are currently building seven developments. Each one, taking years of work.

“Luckily, we started our development earlier, before they implemented the hold on sewer,” says Paul Haddix.

Georgetown has dealt with sewer problems for years. Currently, any building connecting to wastewater plant #1 has to wait. Its 50-million-dollar expansion project won’t be complete until December 2023.

“I think there may be a period prior to December of ‘23 when we are out of capacity. We just don’t know yet,” notes Mayor Tom Prather. “So we’re gonna have to be careful about the way we plan our growth until that additional capacity is ready for us.”

The city’s wait list affects builds in both the older portion of Georgetown, and high growth areas.

“We’re putting ourselves in a position to be able to make it to the finish line,” says Mayor Prather. “As of right now, we’re open for buisness, we’re accepting requests, and we have construction going on.”

An additional problem is the sewer service to Georgetown Mobile Estates, a trailer park sitting near the Fayette county line. They found raw sewage in a nearby creek that feeds into Georgetown’s water system.

Earlier this year, city council members approved the sewer expansion project to help Georgetown Mobile Estates and several other parks in the area.

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