Pipe relining project in early stages

Sewer pipes in east Hartley are having their "big moment."

A crew from Wisconsin-based Visu-Sewer has been televising lines over the past week and a half in the area serviced by the city's new lift station. Once the lines are mapped, workers will return to complete the cure-in-place-pipe (CIPP) lining portion of the project.

Engineer Wes Boyer, of Bolton & Menk, told the city council on March 13 that the video will give Visu-Sewer a better grasp of what they're dealing with for the relining portion of the project. Boyer said only lines that are in the new lift station's "sewershed" will be affected.

Utility customers in east Hartley will be asked to reduce water usage when the relining portion of the project is taking place. Boyer said residents may notice a smell from their pipes as well, but it's harmless and normal.

CIPP lining is a method of trenchless rehabilitation and restoration used in the repair of existing sewer lines. The process uses a textile liner tube and a liquid resin to reseal cracks and other damage, in turn reducing the amount of inflow and infiltration into pipes and lessening the burden on the sewer system.

The CIIP lining addition was made possible thanks to extremely low bids for the lift station upgrade that came in around half the price of what was anticipated. Since the city received a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help pay for the new lift station, around 50 percent of that amount would have had to be returned because it wouldn't be needed to pay for the project.

On the engineer's suggestion, the council voted last summer to move forward with CIPP lining to get its money's worth from the CDBG grant. Visu-Sewer's quote for the project was $427,411.