Mayfield Heights review finds widespread storm-to-sewer cross‑connections in Marnell area; city to repair public side and notify homeowners

Mayfield Heights — At a Sept. 23 Committee of the Whole meeting, a GPD Group representative summarized a detailed dye‑testing report of the Marnell area that found extensive stormwater inflow into the sanitary sewer system and recommended city repairs to public‑side defects followed by homeowner notifications and options for privately funded repairs.

The presentation by Mr. Chuuni of the GPD Group focused on results of a follow‑up camera and dye program covering 107 properties (selected from an earlier set of 168). "Of the 107 properties that were tested, 101 properties tested positive," Chuuni said, describing positive tests as dye water visibly entering the sanitary sewer from storm drains, downspouts or yard drains.

Why it matters: stormwater entering sanitary lines increases flows the wastewater system must carry, can cause basement flooding and can damage sewer pipes. The committee and staff framed the findings as a combined city and private responsibility: the city will repair defects it controls in the public right‑of‑way, and homeowners will be expected to address private laterals and downspouts after the city work is complete.

Key findings and scope

- The follow‑up detailed program tested 107 properties; 101 were positive for stormwater entering sanitary sewers, 5 were negative and 1 could not be tested because a sag in the line prevented camera inspection. Six homeowners originally refused access for private‑side testing.

- Inspectors identified 696 possible connection locations across those properties and were able to test 585; the tested items included 311 house downspouts, 56 garage downspouts, 26 driveway drains and 7 yard drains.

- Thirty‑five properties were not fully tested during the detailed program: six refused access and 29 could not be tested past the municipal test tee because of severe defects on the city side. "Because there were issues on the city side, 29 houses were not tested along with the 6 residents that refused," a Public Works staff member said.

- Defects were graded on a 1–5 scale using industry standards; 73 properties had defects at level 3 or above on the city (system) side. Nineteen of those are within the Marnell project footprint; 54 are outside the currently scoped Marnell contract.

City recommendations and next steps

Public Works and the city engineer recommended that the city prioritize repairs on the city side first — including the 19 critical defects inside the Marnell project — and then either include the remaining 54 properties in a change order to the Marnell contract or address them in a separate, soon‑to‑be‑bidded project. Staff told council the Marnell construction work is scheduled to start this year and is expected to be largely complete by early 2026.

The committee recommended: a public town‑hall meeting to distribute individualized reports and explain findings to affected homeowners; that homeowners be informed they will receive photographic camera evidence and a location measurement from the test tee showing where defects were observed; and that the city offer a 90‑day "soft letter" compliance period once individual homeowner responsibilities are formally issued by the building department.

Homeowner responsibilities, enforcement and assistance

Council and staff discussed enforcement and homeowner assistance. The building department stated it would prepare and send a soft notice and typically allow about 90 days for homeowners to address expensive repairs, then follow up individually. If a homeowner does not cooperate after further escalation, staff said enforcement could proceed to ticketing in municipal (Lyndhurst) court.

The mayor urged flexibility on timing: "I think we need to come up with a timeline of, you know, maybe there's a grace period there because…for some of the residents, it's not gonna be inexpensive," the mayor said.

Staff also advised homeowners that the county sanitary engineer has in practice assisted with snaking and clearing clogs and that some homeowners might qualify for the city's Heritage Home program or seek multiple contractor bids to estimate repair costs.

Testing limitations and private‑side opt‑in

City and consultant presenters explained several limits of the testing: camera inspection must be launched from a test tee behind the sidewalk and cannot pass through severe public‑side damage or sags in the main sewer. For properties the camera could not reach, city repairs to the public side are a precondition to complete private‑side testing. Public Works recommended allowing the six homeowners who initially refused access to opt back into testing after the city completes its portion.

Funding and timing

Staff said the Marnell contract work is expected this calendar year with final restoration into 2026; homeowner notification and town‑hall scheduling would precede the private‑side compliance window so residents could obtain quotes. The city noted one potential external funding route is MCIP sewer district funding (applications are submitted in May for funding the following year), but such grants typically fund projects a year or more after application. The meeting record also referenced the Chagrin River Watershed Partnership and other grant opportunities for which eligibility was uncertain.

What remains unresolved

Council directed staff to return with specifics on schedule, bid estimates if the council wants the additional 54 city‑side defects handled concurrently with Marnell, and a town‑hall date. The committee recommended that when individual reports are distributed, the engineer and building department attend the town‑hall to explain the technical findings and the compliance process.

Ending note

Public Works will provide individualized camera reports to homeowners and work with the building department to draft the compliance letters and timelines. Council members said they want staff to explore contractor lists, Heritage Home program participation and potential grant options before the public meeting so homeowners have practical next steps.