Sewer line cleaning begins Monday
Staff reporter
Hillsboro City Council met Tuesday in special session and was updated regarding sewer line cleaning, city sprinkler systems, Main Street project, and city pool inspection.
The city of will begin its annual cleaning Tuesday of a portion of the sewer system. Each year a portion of the sewer system is cleaned to prevent major systems backups.
City administrator Steve Garrett said areas to be cleaned this year are Wilson, Kennedy, and Eisenhower streets, Carriage Hills, Willow Road, and Park Village.
Garrett said homeowners will be notified prior to the cleaning with an orange door hanger.
Sewer lines can develop air pressure or a partial vacuum from the cleaning process. Usually, any excess air pressure or vacuum will dissipate through the plumbing vents.
But, Garrett said, occasionally there are homes with inadequate plumbing vents (no vents, undersized or obstructed vents).
In the case of inadequate venting, air pressure could escape through the toilet, floor, sink, tub, or shower drains causing water to splash out, or a vacuum could draw the water out of the fixture traps causing an unpleasant odor.
During the cleaning process, officials recommend covering all floor drains with plastic and placing a weight on the plastic, and covering all toilets with plastic and closing the lid on the plastic. If an unpleasant odor occurs, run water into each drain to refill the traps.
Garrett also reported:
— The newly installed irrigation system in the park is working. However, the sprinkler heads need to be adjusted.
Council suggested payment be held until the system is in compete working order.
The installation of the sprinkler system at the baseball field has been postponed due to the weather.
— Bob Privatera of Reiss and Goodness engineers will be in Hillsboro tomorrow to "walk through" the proposed North Main Street project.
— Dave Burback of Burback Pools inspected the city pool.
Garrett was told by Burback the average length of life for this type of pool is 50 years. The city's pool opened in 1954.
— The wholesale water district agreement has been signed by the City of Marion. Garrett will complete and send in the application.
In other business:
— Len Coryea, council member, asked Garrett to check into the possibility of curb and guttering in a development located on the west side of the city.
Garrett said he will obtain some cost estimates.
— Matt Hiebert, council member, was reappointed to the KMEA (Kansas Municipal Energy Agency) for another two-year term.
Garrett is the other representative from the city on the board. His term expires in one year.
— Vouchers were approved in the amount of $93,290.
The next council meeting will be at 4 p.m. March 16 at city hall.
