Gaylord council lays groundwork for citywide sewer televising program to find illicit connections

City of Gaylord staff briefed the council on a proposed inflow-and-infiltration (I&I) program intended to reduce basement backups by identifying illicit connections and failing laterals.

Staff said televising mains to inspect laterals and service lines is a proven way to document I&I. Preliminary figures presented to the council included an average of about $1 per foot to clean a mainline ahead of televising and sample televise service costs in the transcript that produced an illustrative per-block estimate in the range of roughly $2,750 to $3,300 depending on the number of houses on a block. Staff cautioned these figures are preliminary and will be refined in a budget estimate.

Council and staff discussed equipment versus contractor models. Staff noted that push-camera reels used by plumbers are inexpensive but not suitable for mainline televising; contractor systems that launch lateral cameras from a mainline (described in the meeting as a wheeled “robot” with recording and documentation software) are substantially more capable and more expensive. The presentation referenced vendor price ranges discussed by staff during the briefing; staff recommended pursuing contractor services for citywide work while evaluating whether limited city-owned capability would be cost-effective for targeted needs.

A second set of decisions discussed was how the city would respond when inspections identify illicit or failing connections. Staff outlined options for ordinance language that would set a compliance timeline (examples discussed included 12to18 months) and described models used in other communities in which the city contributes a capped cost-share toward homeowner repairs and records the arrangement in a written agreement with the homeowner.

Councilmembers and staff agreed on program phases and sequencing: create a block-by-block map, prioritize areas with recurring flooding, and establish an expected completion schedule so residents can see when their neighborhood will be inspected. Staff estimated roughly 100 blocks as a high-level planning figure and said the first year would likely be a learning year to refine repair rates and costs. Councilmembers said they would consider a multi‑year rollout (three to five years was discussed) but some members expressed willingness to accelerate work if funding allows.

Next steps: staff will develop budget options and draft ordinance language, then convene a dedicated work session for council to review costs, timelines, enforcement mechanics and potential cost-share terms before returning to a formal council agenda for any policy or budget action.

"We could set this up almost like a street-improvement project map where people could see when their block or their neighborhood would be completed," staff told the council during the briefing. The council did not take a formal vote on the program itself at this meeting.