Sewer Stalemate Creates Residential Frustration

Residents of Gerrard Avenue and Allison Avenue are tired and frustrated of engineering delays to fix drainage problems that are causing sewage to back up into their basements.

Residents accused HNTB Engineer Gordon Evans of evading their questions and stalling the projects. Judy Perfetto asked why the surveying did not start on April 19th as indicated at the April 9 meeting. The surveying job is a prerequisite to fixing the surface drainage water in the 2000 block of Gerrard Avenue; however, Perfetto has had her share of storm related problems when her basement in the 1600 block of Gerrard Avenue became filled with sewage.

Although Evans was not at the meeting, he did respond on April 27. He said the work order to the surveyor’s office was sent prior to the 19th, but the county did not open the email until after the meeting. He noted the surveyor’s office is currently working on Tenth Street to check storm water pipe elevations crossing under I-465. The pipes may have to be relocated to expand I-465. He said the surveyor’s office did not want to work in Speedway until June to avoid race traffic. Storm Water Board President Bill Golay noted even if the surveying was done right away, the project would not be started until the town can see what the end results are from the project to capture more storm water around the Coppertree Apartments and divert some of the water to the west. The street department has observed this surface water flowing toward 2000 block of Gerrard Avenue.

Evans also noted the proposed plan to send surface water east to Dry Run Ditch from the 2000 block of Gerrard Avenue may not work because of the low point that all of the houses are located in. The storm pipes may not be able to keep up with heavy intense rains as it gathers in the low point. He also attributed that perimeter drains to laterals are causing the sewage backup in the 1600 block of Gerrard Avenue.

Perfetto disagrees with Evans’ assessment that it is a homeowner’s plumbing problem. “If it is a plumbing problem, why aren’t the plumbers knocking on everybody’s door to make money?” she asked. Perfetto said she had plumbers inspect her home only to find her drains are fine. Perfetto is frustrated because her home is not growing in equity because of the past sewage backups. “I can’t sell our home until the problem is resolved,” she said.

Perfetto is looking for answers. She asked where she needed to go because nothing has been resolved at the drainage board meetings.

“Why are you here?” Golay asked. Golay said the storm water board only deals with storm water and she clearly has a sanitary problem. Perfetto was mystified by Golay’s answer because after the April 14, 2006 flood, the town council directed residents to go the storm water drainage board meeting to resolve their issues. Golay also serves on the council.

Michael Allen noted they have combined sewer and storm water so they had no choice but to attend this meeting.

Perfetto also questioned as to why Cadillac Drive area received storm and sewer separation in 2003.

Golay noted the area suffered from sewage backups in homes and in the streets due to sanitary lines surcharging.

Allen and Perfetto believed Golay gave conflicting answers when he said it was the sanitary sewers surcharging, and not storm water like it is on Gerrard Avenue. To the residents, it did not matter what pipes were surcharging because the end result is the same with sewage backing up into the basements.

Evans said the 1600 block of Gerrard Avenue area only recently developed this problem in 2006 according to the surveys. The 2003 survey indicated the Cadillac area was the worst.

Golay responded that since recording data in the spring of 2006, the pipes show no evidence of filling to capacity in the 1600 block of Gerrard Avenue; therefore, there is no evidence the town’s infrastructure is causing the sewer backup. He said capacity overload could exist, but the town just has no evidence or observation if it is occurring.

Pete Teagarden noted that his property located at southeast corner of Lynhurst and 21st has experience sewage in his basement. He requested the storm and sewers be separated as by federal mandate.

Waste water Superintendent Norm Berry said it is not a storm and sewer separation is not federally mandated, it is the combined sewers overflows that enter the creek without treatment must be eliminated or minimized.

Perfetto requested the town use more than one engineer and maybe the competition would improve performance. Town Manager John McCurtain explained he is recommending the town use more than one Sewer Stalemate Creates Residential Frustration engineering firm. He said the town is using another firm to review the $21 million wastewater long-term control plan. Common Wealth Engineering is addressing the moss issue, and not HNTB.

Perfetto gave accolades to the street department “At least they are doing something,” she said.

McCurtain was sympathetic to the residents and said he would like to see more diverse engineering firms working in the town. He also recommended that people could alleviate some storm water run off by collecting rain in barrels and using it to water their lawns on dry days. If enough residents collected water, it would make a difference in reducing the storm water run. This is often done in arid climates with little rainfall as a conservation method.

The frustration of no activity led to an inquiry of how much the town has spent on drainage studies.

The town has spent $50,950 for HNTB to conduct engineering and landscaping studies to clean out Dry Run Ditch. However, the project was nixed because the bids came in too high. Dry Run Ditch has a silt build up that inhibits the drainage flow. The silted blockage has a domino effect as another drainage ditch discharges into it. Residents along Meyers Ditch complain Dry Run’s inadequate flow backs up Meyers Ditch and it creating erosion and mosquito problems.

The town has also spent $16,618.75 on other engineering studies for Gerrard Avenue. These studies have not been implemented to fix the drainage problem.