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Residents urge Horace to fix unmarked sewer tie‑ins after excavation leaves home without service
Summary
At Monday's Horace City Council meeting neighbors and builders described finding an unmarked sewer service tied into an in‑road line that left 283 with a backup; city staff said the mains were located but private service lines are not routinely mapped. Council asked staff to document the site and pursue an immediate reconnection for the affected homeowner.
At the Horace City Council meeting, residents and builders raised an urgent request for city help after contractors struck an unmarked sanitary line that left a home at 283 without sewer service. The disruption, described in public comment, has driven the neighborhood to ask the city to help reconfigure service tie‑ins so future digging won't require removing a neighbor’s driveway.
"We hit a line that shouldn't have been there," the builder who addressed council said, describing that a previously buried 6‑inch PVC line had been exposed, refilled, and later traced to an unexpected sanitary tie‑in. He said the damage caused a sewer backup at 283 and left the homeowner without service for several days.
City staff responding to the council said their recent televising and locates show three separate services connecting into a single pipe within the right‑of‑way. "It appears there are three separate connections going into it," the staff member said, and added that the city typically locates mains rather than private service lines.
Council members pressed staff on short‑term and long‑term remedies. Several council members said the quickest way to restore service is to open the damage and reconnect the line. The mayor directed staff to document the site with photos, reopen the hole for inspection, and take immediate steps to get the affected house back on service. Council also asked staff to research historical records and bring a plan back to a future meeting so the council can consider longer‑term options for splitting common services or moving mains.
Council did not commit city funds for a permanent relocation during the meeting; members said they understood property‑owner responsibility for certain private service connections but wanted staff to prepare options and cost estimates. The council instructed the public‑works director to coordinate with the homeowners and to report back with documentation that will let the council consider whether any city action or financial assistance is warranted.
