Warren buys meters for flooding study

The devices will help the city gauge water flow into the sewer system.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A Colorado company will provide the flow meters for a study to address flooding.
The city's board of control, made up of Mayor Michael J. O'Brien and Doug Franklin, safety-service director, awarded the contract to Hach Co. of Loveland, Colo.
The company submitted the low bid of $72,267.57 for 30 meters. Two other companies, one from Canada and one from Nebraska, also submitted bids.
An infiltration and inflow study, which will cover the city starting with those areas most affected by the July and August floods, is part of a plan to address street and basement flooding.
"We will be able to get some analysis done," said Tom Angelo, director of the water pollution control center.
In the summer, the ground isn't as saturated as it is in the spring, he said, but a day or two of decent rain could be used to compare rainy days to dry days.
A contract for engineering services for the study also is before council, but Angelo said there's no hurry in its passage.
"The urgency was getting the flow meters," he said.
Study details
The meters will determine the sources of water flowing into the sewer system between manhole covers.
It would take several months and phases to complete the full study. Each phase takes about two months.
Results of the study would allow the city to evaluate the best way to fix inflow problems and identify the costs.
The study is one aspect of the master plan. Separating combined sewers, preventing sewer backup by disconnecting footer drains, and implementing downspout inspection and preventive maintenance are the other components.
Angelo said the next item in the study he hopes council passes is the backflow prevention program.
Plans are in the works to reimburse homeowners who disconnect their footer drains from the sanitary sewer system on a sliding-fee scale.
Council tabled legislation on that provision of the study because council members had questions, he said.
"I'm hoping we can have that in place within the month," Angelo said.
denise_dick@vindy.com