DOVER, Del.- Kent County is set to begin this year work on slip-lining a 2.8 mile stretch of a sewer main beneath U.S. Route 13 in Dover that's been called "compromised" by county officials, just one project aimed at improving the county's aging wastewater system.

The force main beneath North DuPont Highway is currently handling a portion of the county's wastewater, which includes sewage from as far north as Smyrna. The county was forced to take that step because a Dover sewage pump station being used to bypass the sewer main failed two weeks ago.

Levy Court Commissioner Eric Buckson (R-Country Fields) said the county was already planning to rehab the U.S. Route 13 sewer main, but the situation involving Dover's pump station has increased attention on the problem.

"Dover highlighted it for the general public but we knew last year when we were implementing these steps that it had to be done," he said.

Kent County Public Works Director Diana Golt said the county is also finishing installation of a new liner in its south basin at the Wastewater Treatment Facility near Frederica, a process that will be repeated with the other basin there at a cost of more than $1 million.

Golt said the county will be able to use existing funds to pay for shorter-term projects, but may need to consider a sewer rate hike.