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Council directs staff to get definitive engineering answers on urgent sewer repairs after DOWL preliminary budget of $809,500
Summary
Public Works reported severely deteriorated sewer lines and an ineffective $100,000 emergency overflow; DOWL provided a preliminary replacement budget of $809,500 and staff has applied to NDEP and a pending $5 million congressional grant for the Oak Street lift station. Council directed staff to obtain definitive options from DOWL and return with recommendations.
Jennifer Mayo reported that sections of the sewer main between 10th–11th and 14th–15th streets are severely decayed (pipe deterioration, settling, spiral cracking, and root intrusion) and that a recently installed $100,000 emergency overflow designed by DOWL sits 12 inches above other lines and is not effective for routine flows. Mayo said manholes remain full and sewage is backing into residents' basements.
City Manager Richard Braithwaite said DOWL provided a preliminary budget of $809,500 to replace the highlighted section and that the city has applied to NDEP for loan and grant funding; he also said a $5 million congressional grant application is pending to rebuild the Oak Street lift station. Council discussed whether the emergency overflow had been improperly engineered and whether repairs should be done as a single larger project to avoid repeated shutdowns. Joel Nalley and others argued replacing the entire stretch at once is preferable.
Denise Taylor moved to direct staff to obtain definitive answers and options from DOWL so the council can decide on replacement; Lyndsie Whigham seconded. The council voted unanimously to direct staff to return with engineered options and cost estimates.
