Replacing failing sewer lines on Mill Street that are more than half a century old will cost about $500,000 and force extended closures of the street during summer months.
Renovations are being planned to replace the sewer lines that run for more than 2,000 feet under Mill Street, said Andy Stone, director of Engineering and Public Works. After the sewer work, the street will be repaved and portions of the sidewalk will be repaired, Stone said.
The project is scheduled to occur between June and August of this year, during which sections of Mill Street will be closed while the existing lines are being removed and the installation of the new line, which includes creating a sizable trench in the street, is completed, Stone said.
The street will be closed in six sections
one block at a time Stone said.
Stone said that water and sewage service will not be disrupted during the construction.
The renovations are estimated to cost between $400,000 and $500,000, Stone said. Although income taxes and sewer fees will cover the majority of the cost, about $150,000 of the total will come from a federal grant called a community development block grant.
The current sewer lines are made of clay tile and are failing from age, Stone said. Most of the lines were installed when the city opened its first sewage treatment plant in 1952, but that some could even be older when sewage was dumped directly into the Hocking River, he said.
The current lines fail relatively frequently because of their size and age, leading to sinkholes, breaks, blockages and backflow, Stone said.
There are currently multiple small lines that remove waste, Stone said. Those old lines can get clogged and break, which can lead to costly repairs for the city, he said
The scheduled overhauls will combine the multiple old sewer lines into one larger plastic line that will greatly reduce the chance of failures, Stone said.
This is a well designed project Stone said. I don't expect (the new line) to be replaced in my lifetime.
Because the sewer replacement requires creating a sizable trench in the street, the roadway will have to be repaved, said Stone, adding that the city knew that the street would require new pavement.
We have tried to be smarter on planning projects
Stone said. This project will accomplish two things at once.
The work was planned to take place during the summer to avoid student inconvenience, Stone said.
If a project location is in an area with a high student population
said Stone, we try to plan the work in the summer.
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said the Mill Street project is upgrading infrastructure in a section of town that needs it.
The problems aren't something we would ignore
Wiehl said. If we had more money we would do more.
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Ryan Clark
