Council approves emergency change order to fix sanitary sewer in 72/2 T Alley

The Virginia City Council approved change order No. 1 to repair a sanitary sewer line located in a steam vault at 7 1/2 T Alley, after staff described the location as an immediate health hazard.

City staff reported the vault was filled with sewage following discovery of a broken sewer line beneath the steam vault. Because the alley repair was adjacent to a contractor already working on a Fourth Street improvement contract, staff obtained a price for a change order to address the defect immediately. "It is a steam vault full of sewage in this alley sitting there that we need to fix immediately because it is a health hazard," staff told council.

Councilor John Johnson recused himself from discussion and the vote; the city noted the change order would be charged to the project's contingency balance (approximately $400,000 available at the time). Council approved the change order by motion; staff said the contingency would cover the work and the contractor already had crews in the area to perform the repair.

What happens next: The contractor will perform the sanitary repair under the Fourth Street improvement project change order and the city will use contingency funds to pay the additional cost. Staff will document the change order as part of the project record and proceed with repairs to eliminate the public-health hazard.