Repair work could take up to several weeks to complete following the failure of a sanitary sewer line pipe in far south Emporia almost two weeks ago.
This is the report from Assistant City Manager Lane Massey who tells KVOE News heavy rainfall set progress back slightly on the project. A temporary fix had been in place shortly after the failure was discovered, however, according to Massey, a second temporary fix is now needed after rainfall brought floodwaters back up over the original temporary last week.
Massey says contractors will be on site this week to conduct the repairs, but it may be close to a month before the issue is fully resolved. Once the temporary repairs are done Massey says there are a few options the city is considering for a permanent fix. Massey says the suggestion which seems to have garnered the most traction is a realignment of the pipe from above to below ground.
The failure of the 36-inch sanitary sewer line and the stream bank near the South Arundel cul-de-sac was discovered Wednesday, June 19. The initial investigation shows the pipe failed on the north side of a Cottonwood River tributary. The north streambank washed away several feet from the anchor point, causing the line to break completely and raw sewage to apparently flow into the creek.
The failure prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to issue a stream advisory for the Cottonwood River and connecting tributaries until further notice. The main concerns are elevated bacteria levels and other contaminants in the river. Residents and pets should not enter the stream until the advisory is cleared.
