The last major piece of Hall County’s sewer expansion into North Hall was approved Thursday night by the Hall County Board of Commissioners.

The purchase of two pump stations for the far north end of the project was unanimously approved during the voting meeting. The two stations and their construction will cost $748,209.

“They’re vital to the operation of that sewer system up there,” said Hall County Public Works Director Ken Rearden.

Sections of the sewer system are gravity-fed, but the pump stations are needed to keep pipes working in lowlands along the highway.

Both will be located on Ga. 365 near Cagle Road to the west of Lula. The work is expected to start in September.

Rearden said there won’t be any interruption of traffic traveling up Cornelia Highway, but construction crews will be working alongside the highway.

Installation of the two stations is expected in January, after which the sewer lines will go live and the at-times controversial project will be concluded.

Rearden said work laying pipe is almost completed and will be ready by the time the pump stations are live.

The project will make a huge amount of commercial and residential development possible along the Ga. 365 corridor.

“We’re working on a subdivision that is off of White Sulphur. Buffington Farm Roads — there’s 185 lots there,” Rearden said. “They’re getting ready to do their land-disturbance permit and start grading. I have those plans in my office right now.”

There’s also the pre-recession project at Hagan Creek, a 2,736-home project that in 2008 was the largest-ever development proposed in Hall County.

The project includes “millions” of square feet of commercial space, Rearden said, and all of it will tie into the sewer system.

There are other projects along the road that will rely on sewer from Hall County. A Bojangles restaurant, truck stop and retail space is in the works at the intersection of Ga. 365 and Lula Road/Ga. 52.

Along with the restaurant, the project involves fuel stations and almost 45,000 square feet of retail space.

“That one will be a prime customer of ours,” Rearden said.

The city of Lula has consistently opposed the sewer expansion into the area. City officials there argue it violates agreements between the county and Lula.