Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The City Council learned last week that estimates for inflow and infiltration (I&I) reductions are more than $6 million lower than previously estimated.
The city has been working with a figure of $30 million for repairs to bring its system into compliance with Department of Environmental Quality standards, Public Works Director Mike Adams said. That figure is now between $23 million and $24 million. That includes the $5 million the city has already spent, and it includes the $3 million it is preparing to spend on its third I&I reduction project.
Consulting firm Brown and Caldwell, represented by John Holland, presented this information to the City Council on Nov. 28 during the council’s regular meeting.
“I can’t say I’m totally relieved,” Mayor Craig Fentiman said. “It’s still $23 million, $24 million.
“It’s certainly positive news that their estimate is less than the original one. We still have a lot of work to do, certainly, and things to do to take care of the I&I problem.”
Brown and Caldwell are completing the engineering, surveying and design of the third phase I&I reduction project.
The information is based on better flow data and information about the city’s sewer system, Adams said. The numbers are still big “but not as big” as they were believed to be.
I&I is water that leaks into the sewer system through cracked and deteriorating pipes and through cross connections to storm drainage systems during rain events. It can overload the treatment plant, causing bypasses of untreated wastewater into the South Santiam River.
The city is working under an agreement with the DEQ to reduce I&I by January 2010. In the meantime, as long as the city is working on reducing I&I, it will not be fined for bypasses.
So far, the city has spent about $4 million working on sewer mains and laterals in several wastewater basins. It spent approximately $1 million more on smaller projects, design and information gathering. It will spend another $3 million working on both mains and laterals.
Adams will look at different possible sources, he said. He will meet with state officials this month about possible funding streams. At worst, the city will do what it has already done and borrow the money from the DEQ.
The city estimates that every $1 million borrowed represents an average increase of $1 per month on sewer bills.
The information gathered over the past year shows that mains and laterals are the primary source of I&I, Adams said. The city has not been able to locate a major cause, such as a stream or ditch directly feeding the sewer system.
The next project will include work in the Avenues, the Elm Street area. It also will include the Eighth- to 10th-Avenue areas around Alder and Cedar streets and some downtown locations.
In other business, the council:
– Hired Larry Blake Jr. to serve as municipal court judge for $1,500 per month. He also serves as judge in Philomath and Manzanita-Wheeler.
– Approved liens on properties for abatement of weeds.
– Held the second reading of an ordinance concerning abandoned, disabled and hazardous vehicles in the public right-of-way.