State officials have allayed the fears of Hermitage city officials over contract language for a grant for a waste water treatment plant expansion.

Local legislators announced last month that the authority was in line for a $375,000 Growing Greener grant to help upgrade the anaerobic digestion system at the plant. The digester upgrade is only one part of an overall plant expansion, but one that could save the plant money and even generate revenue.

City Manager Gary P. Hinkson said Wednesday the contract the state Department of Environmental Protection has asked city officials to sign states that the project will be completed by June 30, 2009.

“We can’t be done by June of ‘09,” said consulting engineer Joseph P. Pacchioni.

Pacchioni and others at Herbert, Rowland and Grubic are designing the plant expansion and don’t expect to be done for some time. Bids are not expected to be received until 2009, and construction would take a year, if not longer.

Authority Manager Tom Darby said Friday that DEP had sent word that the grant money can be used for the purchase of the anaerobic digestion system and ultraviolet disinfection system that will be added as part of the expansion.

The authority plans to accept bids for the equipment first — sometime this year — and then HRG will design the expansion around the equipment. Pacchioni said only three companies make the equipment.

Construction bids would be accepted sometime later.

The equipment purchase saves contractors from having to buy it, and the authority any mark-up the contractors would have charged.

The authority board approved signing the contract with the state, contingent upon officials finding out if the authority will be able to meet all the contract criteria.