Water and Sewer Workshop Held Monday Night
<
IRONWOOD, MI - by Keri Singleton - Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - There was a water and sewer workshop held Monday, January 18, 2010, in the Women’s Club Room at the Memorial Building, downtown Ironwood, Michigan, at 5:30 PM. The workshop was to discuss the state of the water-sewer system, and plans for improvement.
All Commission members: Mayor Bob Burchell, Gemma Lamb, Kim Corcoran, William Lucius, and Rick Semo, were present. Utilities manager Bob Tervonen, and Coleman Engineering: Mark Suprenant, Mark Girard, and Garth Stengard, were also present.
Bob Tervonen explained that Ironwood’s water system was built in the early 1920’s, by the mines, and are now inefficient and substandard. Bob said when he started in February 1994, the water loss was at 80%, in 2006, it was down to 38%, and currently it is at 50%. The City is down to 150 defective hydrants. As far as highlights of improvements over the last six or seven years, five main valves were replaced or repaired this last year, 27 hydrants have been replaced, a leak detection study has been done, 800 feet of ductile iron pipe on Aspen Road was installed in 2007. Leaks were happening three and four times a year.
Bob explained that last year’s water break caused them to have to turn off 19 valves, which paralyzed half the town.
In 2008, Coleman Engineering helped with 2000 feet of 8-inch ductile iron pipe from Alfred Wright Boulevard to Oak and McLeod. There was no main in the area.
In 2006, they received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which replaced 5,500 feet of defective water line from Mt. Zion. In 2005, a CDBG was received for another 5,500 feet of line. In 2004, about a mile of pipe on Van Buskirk was replaced, followed by a resurfacing of Van Buskirk Road. In 2003, a connection was run from Fabric Patch to McLeod.
Tervonen then showed everyone a $10,000 water main, which serves about 12 homes. They want to get rid of that main, and replace it with 8 inch ductile water main pipe. There are areas in the City where the water pressure is so low that if someone showers, neighbors can tell. The sample of pipe showed around was almost visibly completely plugged, as the pictures show. 31,000 feet of undersized lines remain in the City.
The company that makes parts for the current hydrant system went out of business in 1969, and parts cannot be obtained. The new hydrants have no valves on the front of them, which can shut down neighborhoods if knocked off by vehicles. They are trying to change at least ten hydrants a year.
Pictures were shown of a hydrant on Mansfield Street, where the whole arm broke off when the cap was removed, forcing firefighters to drag the hose to the next corner, during a fire. The chance of the old hydrants working is 50/50.
The sewer system is in bad need of updating and upgrading. Undersized mains, causing backups, deteriorating manholes, and a significant problem with infiltration inflow at the wastewater treatment plant, make for a severely overtaxed system. At the plant, on a good day they take in 2 million gallons of raw sewage, and if it rains they may take in 12 million gallons of sewage, causing them to treat 10 million gallons of clear rain water, adding to the high sewer bill, along with high chemical costs.
In Phase I, II, and III, of the Ironwood Township project, much infiltration inflow will be eliminated, Mr. Tervonen said.
Smoke testing was done to see where the infiltration comes in, near the GPW garage. The smell of sewer is attributed to the leaks. When the project comes through, these leaks will be eliminated. The sewers are from 1915.
Future projects for City of Ironwood Utility Improvement Projects in 2010 are posted within this text. Results of the projects, according to Bob, will include providing a back-up water main system, for the City and surrounding customers, with a better water flow, and a dependable distribution system, and better supply for fire protection.
The DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality), upon a visit about four years ago, said the water and sewer industry in this nation as a whole, gets a D rating.
Water and sewer bills were then discussed. 500 cubic feet is the average water usage, making the average water bill, not including garbage, is about $78.00 a month. Rural Development wants 2% of the median household income to be eligible for funding.
Mark Girard, an engineer with Coleman Engineering, then spoke to the workshop. Mark said he has been working on Rural Development projects for about 21 years. He explained that the guideline of 2% was the old rule of thumb. The stimulus for Ironwood is 1 and a quarter. The average income for Ironwood is $23,500. That gets divided by 12 months for the year, and then multiply that by 1 and a half percent. Rural Development figures that an average should be able to afford that amount for a water and sewer bill, just under $30.00, making it better for consumers.
$250,000 in grant money has been secured for Phase I. The fact that Hurley and Ironwood township are trying to get off the system makes it better as far as grants are concerned, because a lot of gallons won’t be sold anymore, resulting in a nice grant for Phase II. The application is in for Phase III, and they expect to hear something within three weeks to a month.
As far as water and sewer rates, Bob said he thinks they are doing okay, not too high, not too low.
One of the good things about getting water and sewer projects done, is blacktopped roads, without raising taxes.
Citizen Char Jordan asked the group if costs will increase as a result of Hurley and Ironwood Township leaving the system. It was explained to her that over the last four years, the rates have been increased six percent to accommodate for the loss, so the rates will be established, for the most part.
The biggest water loss is occurring in the 16-inch main, from Slade Road, through the woods, to the pump station.
Old meters are also a big reason for loss. They are being replaced on a regular basis, about 225 a year. One man does it, averaging about 2 meters every three days, including weekends.
Underground leaks are a huge problem. A leak detector from the Twin Cities was brought in in 2008. For four days, he studied them and most were corrected.
The three phase map was then discussed in great detail, which is enclosed. Mark Suprenant with Coleman Engineering then addressed the group, in regards to the map, and the improvement project.
The condition of the pipes causes much debris to be pushed through the pipes all the way from the township.
75% grant money is the maximum attainable.
8 million is the total of the three phases. It was explained that 20 million dollars worth of work will be done for 8 million, at a huge value for taxpayers, and has already been budgeted into water rates at this point, for the most part.
$50,000 was spent on a study of water and sewer projects. Money is spent on repairs, which can be better used other places.
Every patch of the highway costs between five and ten thousand dollars, after a break.
Mark Girard, Coleman Engineering, said it likely will be a long time before grant money like this comes available again. The right away issue has to be resolved before anything can proceed.
The route the main takes through the township to get to the well has a right away map that has been in existence for eight years. There is a concern on the time limit on the right away map. Mark Girard said there has to be a way the attorneys can handle this.
Mr. Girard responded to a question from audience member Char Jordan regarding Orvana Corporation coming in. She asked if their aquifer will be affected at all by their pumping. Mr. Girard said he believes Orvana will be pumping lake water.
Mr. Girard said DEQ is aware Ironwood has been working hard to improve on the system. He said the project will benefit the whole area, with the stress on low to moderate income families. He told the group there is a great need here, as we are one of the poorer communities in the U.P.
Ironwood has a 100 year old sewer.
Mayor Bob Burchell said a good overview was provided for what the game plan is over the next two to three years, the urgency of the mapping, and the negotiations with the township.
Meeting Adjourned.
