Municipal authority ponders replacing sewer line
BROWNSVILLE – The Brownsville Municipal Authority is considering replacing one of its oldest sewer lines. According to Bill Johnson of Fayette Engineering, 850 feet of sewer line in the area of Brashear Street and Apple Alley in Hiller needs to be replaced.
A remote control camera placed in the line showed that a section of the line has sunk, causing waste water to sit in the sewer pipe. Johnson said that since the sewer line isn’t draining, many of the taps into that section of pipe are also clogging.
“There are 17 taps on that line that would need to be reconnected to the new line,” Johnson said.
Johnson estimated the cost at $116,000 to replace the old line. Johnson is looking into funding sources for the project.
He said it may be possible to do the work at the same time as the installation of new sewer lines being installed in the Swan plan.
“The work may be done at the same time, but it will not be part of the project,” Johnson clarified.
“No matter how it’s funded, it will not affect the project funding or the rate structure.”
Johnson said the Swan plan project, which involves installing sewer lines to 60 homes in the Swan plan and along Telegraph Road, including to Patsy Hillman Park, is still on track to be put out for bids in March.
Johnson said only three more documents are needed before bids can be sought – the preliminary title opinion, the final title opinion and the design acceptance letter from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The preliminary title opinion indicates that all rights of way have been acquired or condemnation proceedings are under way for all property needed for the project.
The final title opinion certifies that all rights of way have been acquired and the authority has the right of entry for all necessary properties.
Solicitor Ernest DeHaas said he has begun condemnation proceedings against two properties whose owners have not signed rights of way agreements.
DeHaas said the right of entry will be granted 30 days after the owners have been served, either through registered letters, which have already been sent out, or by a constable if the registered letters have not been accepted.
In other matters, the authority reorganized, with no changes in officers. Fred Provance remains chairman, with Henry Vulcan as the secretary/treasurer, Bill Jones as the assistant secretary and Ambrose Dedola as the assistant treasurer. DeHaas was retained as the solicitor and Fayette Engineering was retained as the consulting engineer, though Vulcan asked both DeHaas and Johnson to present the authority with new agreements.