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Resident cites repeated sewer backups; city staff describe tank maintenance and ongoing tests
Summary
A Crawford resident reported multiple sewer backups at 303 Reed Street since 2022 and provided invoices and Pipeworks notes; city water/sewer staff outlined recent tank cleanings, meter work and pending sampling results.
A Crawford resident told the council that repeated blockages in the city sewer main have caused recurring backups and at least one basement flood.
At the May 13 City Council meeting, resident Randy Osborn recounted incidents beginning in February 2022, multiple partial clearings, and a flood of three-quarters of his basement on April 30, 2024. Osborn said he has provided plumbing invoices and photos to the City Clerk and that Pipeworks’ notes indicated bricks and tree roots in the city sewer main.
Water/Sewer staff member Edward Blacksheep said the department has completed a series of maintenance actions this spring: the west tank was drained, cleaned and inspected; other tanks received visual checks; one sludge pump was removed, cleaned and replaced at a sewer digester; and roughly 1,000 mosquito fish were added to clarifiers to reduce blood worms and mosquitoes. Staff performed five meter replacements, jetting for sewer lines (with assistance from Harrison), pot-holing at six meter pits and 26 locates for diggers. Blacksheep also reported ongoing cross-connection and lead-and-copper surveys, with about 17% of service lines identified so far.
Blacksheep said a SCADA-related stirring in the East tank may require a technician visit; the technician could need to drain the tank or perform work from the top. He noted that cloudy water incidents prompted multiple samplings and results are still pending, though staff do not believe a microbiological contamination is present. The department also reinstalled a generator starter for the infiltration gallery; the unit is ready to be hooked to the building but currently requires manual start.
Council did not take formal action on the resident’s request during the meeting but accepted Osborn’s documentation. City staff asked for the resident’s photos and videos to support further investigation and follow-up. Sampling outcomes and any repair schedule were not specified at the meeting.
