Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Sewer topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges Helena council to fix recurring Beach Street sewer backups; staff says work will begin after rain
Summary
Charles Coleman told the Helena City Council that residents on Beach Street have endured repeated sewage backups into apartments and asked the city to act before Christmas. City staff apologized for delays, said equipment is now available and proposed beginning excavation to assess and repair the collapsed connection this week after rain subsides.
Charles Coleman, a property owner on Beach Street, told the Helena City Council on Dec. 17 that sewage has repeatedly backed into apartment units on his property, forcing at least one tenant to move out and occasionally requiring hotel relocations for residents. "We get sewage water that's coming in the apartments," Coleman said during public comment, and urged the council and mayor to act "as expeditiously as possible." Coleman warned the health risks of continued backups, saying the sewage could cause "E. coli."
Council members and staff then questioned whether the cause was a collapsed private lateral or a problem in the city's main sewer line. Coleman said part of the street has collapsed at the point where his pipe connects to the system and that prior clearing of the main sewer had not solved the backup into his units.
City staff acknowledged the delay in repairs and pointed to equipment shortages as the most recent constraint. "First, definitely wanna apologize for the delay on the situation because it's urgent," a staff member said, noting the city's backhoe has been returned and a plan is ready. Staff proposed to begin digging at the sink/collapse area "this week" after the rain to determine the connection to the main line and whether a larger line replacement will be needed.
Council did not take formal action to allocate new funds at the meeting, but staff committed to assess and start repairs once weather permits. The council's exchange made three distinct points: (1) the city and property owner disagreed on where responsibility lies (private lateral versus city main); (2) staff said equipment and a plan are now available to investigate; and (3) staff proposed starting excavation promptly after rain to identify the scope of repairs needed.
The next procedural step recorded in the meeting was for staff to proceed with the planned assessment and repairs; no vote or ordinance was recorded to shift legal responsibility or funding during the Dec. 17 meeting.
