Utilities Committee reviews I&I study, Abbey Road sewer progress and upcoming Edgerton bids

The North Royalton Utilities Committee met May 7 and received progress updates on multiple sewer projects and infrastructure studies, including an ongoing inflow/infiltration (I&I) investigation and the Abbey Road sewer construction.

Wastewater Superintendent Ed Haller told the committee the I&I study, conducted under GPD’s direction, currently uses eight field meters and rain gauges mapped across the system. "We have 8 meters currently installed," Haller said, and added that meters at the treatment plants installed by AECOM will allow simultaneous comparison. He said staff are still collecting data and expect it will take a couple of weeks to compile; he estimated a mid-summer timeframe for a report to the committee. Haller also said the team plans dye testing in commercial areas, naming York Alpha and Enterprise Drive, to detect sanitary connections from surface gutters into the sewer.

Engineering Department Representative Brian Binsley said GPD provided final assessment values for the York Road sanitary sewer special assessments to the mayor; Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz confirmed council approval has already occurred and the committee voted to remove that item from the agenda.

Binsley gave the schedule for the Edgerton Road sanitary sewer project, saying the city will advertise the job on May 8 and accept bids through May 23, with the administration hoping to seek authorization to award contracts at the first June meeting.

On construction in progress, Haller reported approximately 680 linear feet of sewer have been installed on Abbey Road and that contractors set the third of 19 manholes on May 7. He said the contract requires crews to keep one lane open at all times but that short-term full closures could be requested for lateral connections to five homes at the south end; Haller estimated crews can install up to two laterals per day and that the necessary outages would likely amount to about three days or six half-days depending on approved work windows. Mayor Antoskiewicz said the city would post closure notices on its Facebook page if full closures are authorized.

Haller also reported a facility assessment of both A and B treatment plants kicked off April 30 and that five additional flowmeters have been installed to run in conjunction with the sanitary monitoring system. He said the additional data are intended to help the department identify and address peak flows that inundate the plants; Haller noted one early storm event was missed because flowmeters were not yet in place.

Routine committee business included approval of the April 1, 2025 meeting minutes (motion by Chair Mary Gorjanc, seconded by Vice Chair Joanne Krejci; carried 3-0) and procedural votes to remove York Road special assessments and a long-term power-line concern on Royalwood Road from the agenda. The meeting adjourned at 6:32 p.m.

Next steps: administration will compile I&I data for a mid-summer report, advertise the Edgerton Road project on May 8 with a May 23 bid deadline, and bring bid-award authorization to the June meeting if procurement proceeds on schedule.