Ortonville- The relocation of a storm drain should end the money drain on a local business.
The village council voted unanimously at their July 10 meeting to reroute an existing storm drain to enable the Village Pub to install a water treatment system and come into compliance with requirements from the Department of Environmental Quality and the Oakland County Health Division.
‘The DEQ has mandated that the drain be rerouted,? said Pub owner Amy Guirey during the meeting. ‘We’re under the gun and because we’re on pump and haul, we’re about done.?
The Pub has had to have their septic tanks pumped every 10 days for nearly two years because of overflow problems and concerns of contaminating Kearsley Creek. Guirey estimates that by the time the new water treatment system is installed, she will have spent about $100,000 on pump and haul, engineering, and the new system.
The village has agreed to pay to reroute the existing sewer, which will require an easement from the township. The rerouting involves the placement of three drainage structures and approximately 145 linear feet of twelve inch storm sewer, according to a letter to the village from Rowe Incorporated, the village’s engineering firm. The new line would be tapped into the existing manhole in the parking lot and the existing line to the east would be bulkheaded.
Roger Engels, a contractor familiar with the situation, has given the village a cost estimate of $15,000 to reroute the drain, which could be more than 70 years old.
‘It’s our drain and in the way of the Pub doing what they have to do,? said Coy, who is unsure where the village will get the money from yet. ‘The village wants to help people, not be in their way. The existing drain is a crummy old obsolete design whose efficiency is questionable. The village would come out way ahead for it to be replaced and government shouldn’t come out ahead at someone else’s expense.?
Guirey says she appreciates the efforts of the village and is looking forward to being compliant.
‘Timing is everything at this point,? she says. ‘We’re trying to get everything done to make sure we’re all set and ready to go for Septemberfest. I’ve been expecting to be done for a year.?
Coy said he expects to get specs for the rerouting fomr Rowe on July 17. After, he will get bids from contractors. He hopes to bring the cost before the council at the next meeting July 24 and have the rerouting completely finished by mid-August at the latest.