City hears updates on sewer, spillway issues

The concrete spillway at Holton’s Prairie Lake, designed by Black and Veatch in 1947, needs repairs.

And the concrete spillway area at Holton’s Elkhorn Lake, designed by Black and Veatch in 1934, needs repairs, too.

Both of these important repair projects, however, are taking a backseat now to the emergency situation involving the sewer line at the north edge of the city leading to the water treatment plant that serves about one-third of the population.

Because a sewage manhole area has backed up and failed – sending some raw sewage into Elk Creek before it was discovered -  city crews have been required for the past two weeks or so to rig up a system to bypass the failed manhole with a temporary line above ground powered by two pumps on generators.

Complicating the situation, city officials were told, soil near the “north sewer interceptor’’ area (installed 1996-98) is sandy and susceptible to erosion. A sinkhole near the failed manhole helped city staff discover the problem area, which is not far from the Holton USD 336 track facility, it was reported.

The Kansas Department of Water Resources has been notified of the situation, it was reported, as has the Kansas Army Corps of Engineers. Both of these agencies will be required to approve the scope of the sewer repair work planned. City officials said the many high water events on Elk Creek during the past year contributed to the sewer line problem.

A section of the sewer line that failed will need to be replaced with a 14-inch poly pipe, commissioners were told. Bank stabilization work costing between $25,000 to $50,000 will also be needed at the work site or the same problem could happen again, it was reported. 

City commissioners instructed the water and wastewater department to keep them informed as the emergency repairs get under way. An early cost estimate of $105,000 was talked about but that amount did not include bank stabilization work, it was reported.

At their meeting on Monday evening, city commissioners heard input on all three projects from Don Hellar, an engineer with the Evans-Bierly-Hutchinson & Associates P.A. firm of Great Bend.

Regarding the emergency sewer line repair project, Hellar said he had contacted a construction company from Goddard – Nowak Construction - and a plan is being formulated to complete the work.

At this time of year, all agreed that while there is a window of opportunity weatherwise now to successfully do the work, cold and freezing temps could quickly stall it.

“This is an emergency,’’ said commissioner Tim Morris. “Do what needs to be done.’’

A special commission meeting may be necessary to further discuss and make decisions about the sewer work, it was reported.

In the meantime, reported city manager Kerwin McKee, city staff are visiting the sewer bypass site twice a day to make sure the makeshift bypass continues to operate.

Repair patchwork and bonded concrete overlay to the concrete spillway at Prairie Lake may cost $24,650 to $39,650, commissioners learned from engineer Hellar, who recommended a concrete expert for the work. No decisions were made by the commissioners and this work, and the work at Elkhorn Lake, likely would both be done next spring or summer. 

Hellar said the total cost to replace the entire dam at Prairie Lake, should the current one fail, would be about $713,000.

The repair work needed at the Elkhorn Lake concrete spillway area is considered a higher priority than the Prairie Lake dam work, it was reported.

Commissioner authorized Hellar to provide design standards for the Elk Horn work, so the city could bid out the work.

At Elk Horn, the dam’s primary concrete tower intake, that served as the main drain for the lake, has been plugged up for many years, it was reported, raising the lake pool level and requiring the lake’s secondary, overflow spillway, at the northwest corner to carry the drainage load. Over time, water leaving the lake at that location has caused erosion in the back side of the dam at its base level.

The potential maximum cost to make the necessary repairs at Elkhorn Lake could cost as much as $86,000, it was reported.

At both Prairie Lake and Elkhorn Lake, the age of the structures, and the action of water on the structures over time, are said to be natural reasons that the repair projects are needed.

McKee informed commissioners that the city’s capital outlay fund has the funds to complete the two spillway repair projects and that the city’s special sales tax fund has the funds to complete the emergency sewer repairs.

In other business, the chip and seal work at the parking lots at Countryside Park, Chandler Parks and Rafter’s Park under way this week were noted.

It was also reported that city staff will be trimming tree limbs around the town square so the city’s new street sweeper can make its rounds.

Commissioners also asked for some background information on the city’s vicious dog ordinance and about a district court ruling allowing the owners of a pit bull in town to keep their dog, due to its designation as a “service animal.’’ Commissioners said they were concerned about liability issues.

The meeting was adjourned at about 8:15 p.m. All commissioners were present.