Tree roots clog Hunt Field sewers; board seeks GIS mapping and targeted fixes

Chair opened the discussion of a persistent sewer problem at Hunt Field, reporting that contractors charge "like 5 to 6000 dollars each time they have to go out and do this and clean the lines." The chair said service laterals were installed too deep for city equipment and that roots from many species — willow oak, Japanese cherry, Bradford pear, Siberian elm, and sycamore — have invaded joints in PVC laterals. The board emphasized this is not a species-specific problem but a systemic issue tied to installation depth and joint gaps.