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Council authorizes emergency action on sewer line collapse

With an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency violation issued to the city of Marietta due to the collapse of the River Trail onto a sewer line by Duck Creek this summer, Marietta City Council authorized emergency legislation Thursday.

The emergency, designated Thursday as a “clear and present danger,” concerns the collapse first noticed by the city on June 1.

By June 7, the city began bypass pumping sewage between two manholes due to the movement of the trail as the retaining wall continued to bow out over Duck Creek.

Underground line failure was partially determined by the end of that month and recommendations were sought by the city to both determine solutions and assign fault for the collapse of the project only determined complete in February of this year.

The first, Ordinance 130, authorized $400,000 to correct the violation.

The second, Ordinance 131, authorized the entrance into contract without formal bidding, for Pickering Associates to provide design, surveying and construction administration services for the repair project of the collapsed sewer line. Damage to the walking trail is not to be addressed immediately.

The third, Ordinance 132, authorized the review of construction and design records, including geotechnical reports, calculations and water levels; design analysis and geotechnical investigation by Mannik Smith Group as expert witness services.

Ordinance 131 assigned a rate not to exceed $145,300 for Pickering, Ordinance 132 assigned a rate not to exceed $119,800.

The remaining $265,100 was not specifically designated Thursday, though Finance Chairman Mike Scales said the funds would be tracked.

“We are keeping track of every penny on this,” he stated before threatening the use of that record to “go after” parties responsible for the collapse.

Resolution 55 was also unanimously passed by council Thursday, authorizing the application for an Ohio Department of Transportation loan from the State Infrastructure bank to cover cost of repair for the landslip and sanitary sewer collapse.

The loan request, of $208,900, according to public documents, is to be used for geotechnical testing, surveying, engineering services, legal fees and third-party engineering services.

“These services are required to provide engineering plans for repair and restoration of the existing 30-inch diameter sanitary sewer and the soldier pile retaining wall and the multi-use trail,” reads the loan application.

Assistant Safety-Service Director Jeff Skinner noted that the violation from the Ohio EPA was issued this month, but without a specific deadline to correct the collapse.

“But they want it fixed immediately,” he noted.

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