Rainstorm stirs up sewage problems, Avon mayor asks council to consider moratorium

Avon

By Rebecca Turman

During reports and comments of the City Council regular Monday night meeting, Avon Mayor Jim Smith asked council members to look into the sewage backup issues that arose when the recent rainstorm hit the city.

Smith said many residents in the Northgate and Stonebridge developments had sewage coming up in their basements.

“We checked … the North Ridgeville (French Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant) interceptor was full to the brim,” he told council members.

Smith noted the storm was a rare one. Even he had water in his basement, which he said was the first time that’s happened in 27 years.

“It’s not our ‘stuff’ so to speak,” Smith said, referring to the sewage backup. “When you start getting sewage backup in your basement, that’s uncalled for. There’s no more room for sewage in that trunk line, especially when it rains.”

Smith recommended council members put a moratorium in place for developers who are looking to tie into the trunk line until the city gets some answers from North Ridgeville about the issue.

“Some areas you might want to say you don’t want to put basements in,” Smith added. “We aren’t getting answers for it. It’s up to council to start taking a look. Where the water is going – our sewage water – is not a good situation.”

Councilman Dennis McBride asked whether a temporary moratorium would be necessary.

With the city having so many new subdivisions, McBride said he considered the sewage problem to be a “huge issue.”

McBride mentioned the moratorium would look at stopping “potentially any taps into that sewer system.”

Councilman Dan Zegarac asked how many homes were flooded with sewage, but an exact number wasn’t known as of Monday night.

The mayor said the Service Department fielded at least 30 to 40 calls while the mayor himself took about 30 to 35 calls, with some residents stating they had up to three feet of sewage in their basements.

“There should be no excuse for that,” Smith said of the sewage problem. “You welcome new residents in the community with a couple feet of crap in their basement.”

Ultimately, council decided to hold a joint Service Committee and Law Committee meeting at 6:15 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

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