Union City approves $14,500 emergency pipe replacement after sinkhole exposes failing storm line

Union City Borough Council authorized emergency repairs to a failing stormwater line after a sinkhole exposed a corroded section of galvanized pipe behind 98 East High Street.

Streets Supervisor Bob Phillips told the council a sinkhole roughly 3 feet wide by 8 feet deep opened in the property’s backyard. A camera inspection from East High Street showed the first 50 feet of pipe was cement and in good condition but roughly 90–100 feet of galvanized pipe beyond that had lost its bottom; the inspection camera fell into the damaged section and could not be retrieved. Mansfield quoted $14,500 to replace the galvanized stretch with plastic.

Councilor Steadman moved and Councilor Kerns seconded a motion to hire Mansfield to perform the replacement at a cost of $14,500; the minutes record the motion carried. The council also approved a separate authorization—moved by Councilor Steadman and seconded by Councilor Osborn—allowing Mansfield to cut concrete, open, and determine the cause of a sinkhole in Municipal Lot #1, spending up to $6,000 after obtaining a price and availability check from McLallen Construction.

The borough will oversee the work and coordinate vendor availability; the minutes do not include a detailed vote tally. Streets staff said topsoil and seed dislodged by a subsequent rain will be replaced as part of ongoing maintenance. The repairs follow repeated local reports of stormwater problems on East High and Bridge streets; resident Anthony Hickey told council he has contacted PennDOT, the borough, and Representative Jake Banta’s office without resolution and offered to excavate a ditch if the borough provides a catch basin and pipe. Borough officials said they will investigate that separately.

Next steps: the contractor is to be engaged for the emergency replacement and the borough will seek the earliest available date to open and inspect the Municipal Lot #1 hole.