City of Columbia to present stormwater, sewer plans

The city of Columbia presented plans for its upcoming sewer and storm water rehabilitation projects at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

The projects include lining existing pipes to strengthen the structure of the pipes, work to prevent pipe collapse and keeping groundwater and stormwater from getting into the wrong pipes.

The proposed stormwater projects will rehabilitate roughly 830 linear feet of public stormwater pipe and the estimated cost is $230,000, the city said in a news release.

The sewer projects are a continuation of annual efforts to repair the infrastructure of the sewer system. The estimated cost of that project is $3.2 million.

Kori Thompson, the engineering supervisor with Sewer and Stormwater Utilities, said Tuesday’s meeting was part of the preliminary phase of the process.

“Based off of the feedback today we’ll go in there and we’ll finalize preliminary designs then go to public hearing for both of these projects,” Thompson said. “From that stage, if we get council approval, we will then go to bid call and then of course construction.”

Thompson said the goal is to begin construction on both projects in fall 2019. Then Thompson said the projects should wrap up six to nine months after that.

For residents who live in the areas the projects will take place, Thompson said the impacts will be minimal.

“If you live on a line you will get a door hanger with instructions asking you not to use your water for two to three hours,” Thompson said.

She said this is a rehabilitation project and compared it to maintaining your car. She said it’s just one of those things that needs to be done.