Bids for this summer’s Grand Marais sewer cleaning project came in higher than expected, but all three bids were similar, so on June 5, 2013 the Public Utilities Commission board approved the lowest bid— $29,225 from Infratech of Rogers, Minn. The work will include inspection and cleaning of about 7,500 feet of sewer south of Second Street from Broadway to Second Avenue West.
Grand Marais Water/Wastewater Superintendent Tom Nelson had estimated the project would cost about $15,000. Part of the project includes cutting the ends of taps leading to individual properties to allow cameras to maneuver through the system. This cost was higher than expected — $12,000 on the Infratech bid and $13,200 on the other two bids.
Low-flow backup
One business south of Highway 61 gets backed up because not enough water goes through the pipes to keep them flushed out. The building only has bathroom sinks and low-flow toilets, and solids keep plugging up the system. Nelson said this is sometimes a problem for businesses with long lines, and he recommends pushing extra water through them occasionally. This is usually not a problem in houses with low-flow toilets because more water is being sent through the system from washing machines, showers and baths.
Electric line breaks
Regarding the severing of two electric lines leading to some campsites in the rec park as broadband lines were being installed, City Administrator Mike Roth said, “… They were service lines for campsites and not located where we expected them to be. The city made the repairs.”
A water line for campsites that had not been located ahead of time was hit during the installation as well. “It was not located, and we did not expect for one to be in that location,” Roth said. Park crews handled the repair because the line was a park service line and thus outside the responsibility of the Public Utilities Commission (a different city department).
“The issues of repair cost and liability are determined on a caseby case basis as the circumstances of each incident are different,” Roth said.
Before doing any digging, property owners and contractors must call Gopher State One Call to request that lines be located by the utility responsible for each system.
On May 30, a private contractor hit an electric line on Broadway with a shovel, which sparked and arced. Location of the line had been requested but the work was begun before that was done, Roth said. The line was in the process of being replaced by the homeowner.
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