Oxford Village officials are finally going to fix a sanitary sewer line that’s been causing backups in some condominium basements located off W. Burdick St. for years.
Council last week voted 5-0 to approve the repair/replacement of the 8-inch diameter sewer line located on the south side of W. Burdick between Conda Lane and Ashley Way.
The project will cost an estimated $92,380, which includes $16,260 in engineering work to be performed by the Pontiac-based Nowak & Fraus Engineers.
The cost will be covered by the municipality’s sewer fund, which, according to village Manager Joe Young, contains more than $650,000 in available monies.
Chad Findley, executive vice president of Nowak & Fraus, explained the sewer line has a ‘belly? or a ‘sag? that’s ‘likely (been) caused by poor soil beneath the pipe.?
‘This really isn’t an uncommon occurrence for an aging system,? he told council. ‘You find these things over time. It’s not terribly unusual.?
This ‘belly? causes the pipe to fill with sediment, requiring the village Department of Public Works to frequently clear it out to prevent sewer backups.
Unfortunately, backups have occurred in condo basements located on Conda Lane.
‘I think we had three in the past six years,? Young said. ‘One was earlier this year.?
‘Those damages were filed with our insurance company and they were paid by our insurance company, which will be reflected in our fees,? he noted. ‘We are responsible.?
‘Everybody knows it’s a crummy sewer,? said Councilwoman Maureen Helmuth. ‘Everybody knows what that sewer does to those condominium basements over on Conda Lane.?
‘It is very unfortunate that our neighbors who share common streets with us are dealing with this and I do want it resolved as quickly for them as possible,? said Councilman Bryan Cloutier, who lives in a condo on Ashley Way Way and is the homeowners association president.
The new sewer line won’t be located right up against the condominiums on Ashley Way as the existing pipe is.
‘That sewer manhole is ridiculously close to the foundations of those houses,? Findley said. ‘I can’t believe (the development) was constructed that way. We certainly wouldn’t recommend re-installing (the sewer line) in the same location just because of that. We really want to stay away from those buildings.?
‘The (existing) sewer pre-dates the condo development by quite a few years,? he noted. ‘The sewer’s been there a long time.?
Oxford Township Supervisor Bill Dunn, who was sitting in the audience, noted the sewers were installed in 1972.
Village President Sue Bossardet said the condominium buildings? close proximity to the sewer line appears to be the result of ‘previous errors? on the municipality’s part.
‘I don’t know how (the condo builder) got permits from the village . . . (and) where our inspector was that this was allowed to happen,? she said.