Burnside sewer collapse underscores aging sewer system
Maria Thi Mai
Today, Sam and I visited NW Burnside where a sewer tunnel had partially collapsed and overflowed onto the street.
Randy Neves, from KGW was there to follow up on an earlier interview and sewer visit. Sam underscored our ancient sewer system and the dire need for maintenance.
Here's Peter Wojcicki, Public Works Supervisor account of what happened.
At 17:15 Wednesday December 21st, a sewer cleaning (Calvin Menegassi and Dennis Roberts) crew responded to a report of overflowing catch basin at NW Trinity and W Burnside. The crew checked the main sewer up and downstream of this catch basin and found no problem with the main. The manhole at NW Trinity and West Burnside had been paved over at this point. The sewer cleaning crew was informed by a property owner that there was a back-up occurring at the building on the NW corner of NW Trinity and W Burnside. The sewer cleaning crew contacted the emergency crew to respond to the back-up (the emergency crew is better prepared to respond to such problems). The sewer cleaning crew left the site, and the emergency crew headed towards NW Trinity and W Burnside to investigate.
Upon arrival (18:00) the emergency crew (Sompo Balch and Darren Hammack) began to investigate the back-up. They determined that they needed to remove the asphalt that was covering the manhole lid to open the lid and investigate at this manhole to help determine the problem. The emergency crew contacted me (Peter Wojcicki) to get some assistance from crews currently in the field to provide traffic control while the emergency crew exposed the manhole.
I arrived along with the vactor (since there may be a problem with the main, and that he [Ed Fisher] had just finished another job), and a sewer cleaning crew (the same crew that was at this site earlier) at 19:45. The four of us helped set up traffic control. When the lid was exposed it was removed and we found that the sewage in the manhole was approximately 1 foot from the lid. Because the catch basin at the NE corner was lower than the manhole the sewage flowed up and out the catch basin and down the street to then next catch basin and back into the main sewer.
We then set up the vactor to clean from the downstream manhole (ABK890). The vactor cleaned 220 feet (approx ABK890 is located). The vactor nozzle began to hit a spot and could not pass beyond 220 ft. The vactor then set up at the upstream manhole (ABK885) and attempted to clean the line and dislodge any debris. This method was also unsuccessful. We then set up in the East bound land of W Burnside to clean a 30 ft line that cross connects the main sewer on the North side of Burnside to the main sewer on the South side of Burnside. Here we were able to give some relief to the manhole that was almost full. We continued to work on this section of pipe, but were unable to completely clean this line and give relief to the manhole. By this time 22:00, we decided to clean ABK875 and attempt to clean the cross connection. We were able to remove a great deal of debris (rocks, grease, bricks) from the Manhole. When we attempted to clean the cross connection we continued to hit a blockage only a few feet outside of the manhole. We stopped cleaning the manhole now, and hoped that the main was open enough to keep up with the main sewers flow. About 10 minutes after stopping (approximately 23:05) the brick manhole sloughed in or partially collapsed.
I then contacted Kelly Shepard at 23:10 and informed him of the problem and we decided on a plan of action. I kept the emergency crew late, and began a call out for a replacement vactor (Troy Carlson) and 2 more Utility Workers (Amil Zell and Don Menuey) to work at this location so the crews I had onsite could go home. I was also to contact the Manager on call as well as Mary Volm, Joan Saroka, and Linc Mann to inform them of the situation and the need to close the West bound land of West Burnside from 19th ave to 20th ave.
We are currently monitoring this location with the above replacement crew and will continue to tackle the technical issues Thursday morning.
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on December 22, 2005
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Filed Under Environmental Services, Front Page, Livability & Environment
Comments by site visitors
Sam,
You may want to notify the PDC that you have discovered some genuine "blight".
Steve
Posted by: Steve Schopp | Dec 22, 2005 8:01:22 PM
Yeah Jack that totally makes sense. Great criticism, because we all know that city funds come from one great big pot and those wily commissioners decide "hey let's forgo sewer repair so we can build a street car". Sorry man, many of the Bureaus are funded independently.
As for BES funding problems I would look to EPA officials mandating clean up programs far above and beyond what is required of other municipalities. Not to mention maneuvering from suburban politicians out to stick it to Portland to curry favor with there own constituents. (http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=33037).
Posted by: JHB | Dec 23, 2005 1:25:34 PM
JHB
Your lack of familiarity with city spending habits, your attitude and the ease at which you find excuses is a perfect demonstration of why the problems are so severe and worsening.
You said, """"Many of the Bureaus are funded independently""""
My oh my. That must mean city officials had no choice but the 30 years of negligence they followed.
Of course if at any time we have genuine leadership break from the pack and step up to the plate, Sam?, remedies will come sooner rather than later.
Posted by: Steve Schopp | Dec 23, 2005 4:13:49 PM
Steve, W. Bruce and Jack:
I am glad my blogs these past 6 months raising my concerns about the Portland sewer maintenance backlog issue are helping to make sewer repair groupies out of you. I measure that as some progress.
No, cutting streetcar will not give us the money to fix the Burnside sewer, nor will canceling the tram, nor stopping any other tax increment funded project.
Over the past 30 years, the City has funded the sewer system the same way PGE and PPL are funded: with rates. You are suggesting a move away from a business-like approach to funding the sewers if you believe we should use General Fund or tax increment funds for sewers.
As I blogged to you all before, give me the sewer "fun stuff" that you think I should cut (don't repeat yourself, I already have your earlier blog lists) and I will look at it. I am looking at all aspects of BES's budget right now.
I believe JHB is right, your silence is deafening on the EPA's pending requirements for us to spend another $200 million on the sewers and Minnis' related attempt to stick it to Portland in the state legislature. It makes you look anti-Portland at any cost. I doubt that's the impression you are trying to portray with your blog entries: so let's hear from you all about the EPA mandates too!
Sam
Posted by: Sam Adams | Dec 26, 2005 11:41:59 AM
Sam, It's too bad light rail and the PDC isn't funded solely with "rates" the "same way PGE and PPL are funded"
That way they would actually need to show viability and merit while spending a whole lot less.
It's funny that you ask "are you suggesting a move away from a business-like approach to funding the sewers if you believe we should use General Fund or tax increment funds for sewers."
The point here is what gets funded and how?
The examples are many that the City simply gets the money when it wants to.
Unfortunatly SoWa, as an example, is a higher priority than the sewer infrastucture. In that one arena alone the city will spend nearly 1/2 BILLION in property taxes over the next 20 years. ($288M projects plus and $160 debt service)That's merely one of 11 Urban renewal districts.
I'm not suggesting SoWa be halted and all the money be diverted to the sewers.
I am saying that the same brand of leadership and forces that have SoWa moving forward without obstruction could be and should be utilized to take care of our infrastucture and core functions such as jails.
Airport MAX and Cascade station was one of the most cooked up creative schemes to "get the money" this region has seen.
This vision/fantasy based expenditure of $200 + million was a reckless effort to make a ped/bike/transit mini-city which now is emerging as just another big box, retail, office auto oriented private development which never would have needed the public's millions.
Now as the Convention Center Hotel and Transit Mall and more light rail move forward the same things are happening all over again.
Posted by: Steve Schopp | Dec 28, 2005 9:44:29 AM
Sam, here is one "frill" (that when multipled by the minimum thousands of times a year that this probably occurs in our city), that your attention could reduce and could pay for many sewer repairs: About two years ago when my neighbors driveway was block by a collasped sink hole in the city right-of-way, there were eleven city sewer personel looking down at the hole, just analysing what they might do-no equipment at the site, just studying the problem. And this went on for three days until they finally began to fix the problem with even more "city that works" personel that just stood around while a few worked. I think this went beyond union job site requirements. I and many friends see this kind of response quite often. This, in many ways, is a "top down" problem. In my long past gov. job, when my bosses allowed it and others frowned on you for showing some initiative, it is easy to become a "slacker".
Some math: 9 excess employees x $45/hr(average pay of employees with all benefits)x 4hrs(each job site per day) x 5 days (for study and repair) x 1000 similar job types around city per year = $8.l million. And this could be conservative. That could fix some old sewers.
Posted by: Lee | Dec 28, 2005 11:43:28 AM
I am finding this government bashing distasteful. Whenever I see city maintenance workers at work, they are working, not standing around.
Posted by: Rob W | Dec 28, 2005 5:52:33 PM
Sam Adams said;
"..so let's hear from you all about the EPA mandates too!"
Chris Says:
Sam, do you think it's fair Portland isn't paying it's fair share in fines? If I was a farmer, I'd be really steamed if I was getting nailed for a little cow feces while Portland got away with 10,000 gallons of sewage with every rainstorm. Bravo for rural farmers trying to level the playing field.
It's pretty hypocritical for Portland to cry about being treated unfairly while the city regularly sticks it to home and business owners for sewer repairs that are not needed.
I have some cost-cutting ideas for you, too. How about firing all the union employees in the agency and hiring non-union ones? That'll save a bundle right there. And cut administrative staff by 20%? And look at privatizing some or all of the department? Reducing bennies? Eliminating COLAs?
Posted by: Chris McMullen | Dec 29, 2005 1:00:46 AM
Yesterday, the city council of Portland voted to spend 200-thousand of your dollars on a hippie commune. They took the money from the sewer and water fees …which the city charter says can only be spent on water and sewer service. Portlanders pay some of the highest water and sewer bills in America…despite a free water supply congress gave us a hundred years ago. And what does all that money buy for you? Well…a bunch of counter culture types want to live on a multi million dollar artists commune next to Tryon creek state park. Sounds nice huh? But amateur artwork and macramé don’t pay for that kind of real estate…so you’re picking up the tab. Some of the money is for “artists live and work space”…and what’s called a “conservation easement”. The hippies promise to eradicate non native species from the acreage…and start a demonstration farm or garden. But there’s a problem. Every farm crop that you can put on your plate for dinner…is a non native species. so by taking your sewer and water bill money, the tie dye crowd has guaranteed they won’t grow anything edible. City sewers have broken twice into Tryon creek…because Sam adams says the city doesn’t have the money to maintain the pipes. The commune blocks millions in new homes…and the counter culture types get city funding…and an exemption from property taxes. In today’s fishwrap, Mayor Potter calls it “Portland at its best”. Southpark’s Cartman would have called “a whole bunch of tree hugging hippie crap”.
Posted by: Lars | Jan 5, 2006 7:56:53 AM
"Conservation Easement"? We buy land to keep it from developers and turn into parks. The land purchase and park maintenence costs a lot. If this conservation easement means that the land can't be developed and the deal also means they have to help maintain it by keeping off invasive plants (invasive does not mean non-native food plants) then I'm all for it.
Posted by: Robert | Jan 5, 2006 11:17:46 AM
Rob W: my post wan't government bashing-Sam asked for some ideas to cover budget shortfalls. The statement is factual with witnesses. I've been a government employee, and we should be able to take constructive suggestions, even critiques.
Posted by: Lee | Jan 7, 2006 12:50:56 PM
Chris, your statements are frankly ridiculous. First, you say rural farmers are just trying to level the playing field? I doubt the farmer who is steamed that Portland "got away with 10,000 gallons of sewage with every rainstorm" wishes THEY were forced to spend over one billion dollars in order to become compliant, but that is what's happening to Portland. Don't loose sight of the fact that these expensive Big Pipe projects aren't just for the hell of it, but are actually mandated by EPA to solve the problems EPA is regulating in the first place. Once the Big Pipes are online, if there are still overflows to the Willamette, great - fine the City just like you would the farmer. Don't penalize the City - and the ratepayers! - twice. Put the farmer in the City's shoes for a minute: I hardly think the farmer who is spending money to responsibly manage polluted runoff from his farm would think it fair were he fined from EPA in the middle of the implementation of his plan.
As far as the City sticking it to "home and business owners for sewer repairs that are not needed", don't forget that the modern, American society you live in - whether rural or urban - is built on infrastructure. And maintenance of said infrastructure is an enormous cost. If you want to keep complaining about "unnecessary" repairs (to sewers, water systems, roads, etc., etc.), don't complain the next time you have sewage in your basement, rust-colored drinking water, or rural farmers unable to get their products to market because of an impassable transportation system.
Posted by: Stephen | Jan 17, 2006 3:22:47 PM
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Maybe you could just let it all dry up and we'll call it Public Art.
Or, you could provide the leadership Portland needs, and start putting infrastructure repair and replacement ahead of the many discretionary boondoggles the Council spends much of their time and discretionary funds on.
Do you really want me to make a list of all the boondoggles? O.k., I will, but only on one condition: you will have to assign a staffer to research ten year estimated costs to demonstrate how all the nickels and dimes add up.
All these "fun things" add up over time. Not to mention the incalculable costs of lost productivity, lost retail sales, wasted gasoline resulting from a day long traffic obstruction, additional "patch job" labor hours. Worker morale? Hello!
This city is begging for somebody willing to put leadership ahead of politics. I would guess that Saltzman and Leonard would be willing to support an S.O.S. funding prioritization for infrastructure.
The sewers may not vote, but the residents and owners of the sewage infested buildings do. This same thing happened at the County Courthouse a few months ago. Phew!
Help us Sam! Our sewers are failing and they can't get up.
Posted by: W. Bruce Anderholt II | Dec 22, 2005 5:18:01 PM