Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fraser council receives stormwater asset plan estimating $7 million in repairs, recommends dedicated funding
Summary
Consultants told Fraser City Council that televising and repairs are needed across the city’s storm system, identifying corrugated metal pipe and 132 critical structures; the council voted to receive and file the plan and asked staff for televising and cost‑estimate follow‑ups.
Fraser City Council on June 11 received an updated stormwater asset management plan that consultants said is intended to guide capital improvements and ongoing inspection of the city’s storm sewer and structures.
The presentation by the consultant team summarized updates since the first plan in 2018 and said the city televised roughly 55% of storm sewers and inspected about 87% of structures. The consultants explained their business‑risk exposure scoring (BRE = Probability of Failure × Consequence of Failure) and identified corrugated metal pipe in residential ditch lines as a pervasive problem. “We’re estimating about $7,000,000” for sewer rehabilitation as a placeholder construction cost, the consultant said, while cautioning that the number could increase once the remaining 45% of sewers are televised and assessed.
The plan lays out a prioritized approach: fix critical assets with BRE scores greater than 16 first, expand CCTV inspection to the remainder of the system and create a phased five‑year CIP. Consultants suggested repair methods including pipe lining, spot/sectional dig‑ups and full structure replacement and recommended televising and cleaning corrugated metal pipe before selecting repair technologies.
City council members and staff focused questions on how many feet of corrugated metal pipe exist, which streets were televised in 2018, and whether lining technology can be used on corrugated sections. The consultant said lining is possible when the existing pipe is structurally sound but that many corrugated sections are full of sediment or rust and will need spot repairs first.
On funding, the consultant urged the city to consider a dedicated stormwater funding source — options included a separate stormwater utility or an annual transfer from the general fund. The firm suggested that a commitment in the range of $500,000 per year would allow the city to move from reactive maintenance to proactive rehabilitation and to develop a reliable multiyear CIP.
During public comment, residents from affected neighborhoods described repeated backyard and parking‑lot flooding and years of repeated jetting and temporary fixes; several asked for more timely DPW follow‑up. The mayor and city manager committed to follow up with county and DPW staff and to provide more information to residents.
Council member Higgins moved and council member Baranski seconded a motion to receive and file the plan; that motion passed by voice vote. Council asked staff to return with estimated costs to televise the remaining system and a more specific count or footage estimate for corrugated metal pipe so council can consider funding options in upcoming budget discussions.
The plan will inform the city’s CIP and maintenance priorities; staff and the consultant will provide follow‑up cost and scope details to help the council set a funding strategy.
