Traverse City’s sewers have overflowed three times this year, spilling sewage into the Boardman River.
Now, city officials are mulling short and long term solutions.
Traverse City’s sewer system is nearly 90-years old and city officials say the stress of high lake levels and a once in 200-year rain event has put too much pressure on the system.
Art Krueger is the City Director of Municipal Utilities. He said a “bathtub” like structure will keep some of the overflow under control.
“We built a temporary containment area around this manhole area that floods out and goes in the river. We’re trying to contain any future rainwater causing overflows.”
Some of the city’s sewers are made of clay according to Krueger. He said an expensive update is likely.
“We know it’s going to be expensive. We’ve given ratepayers forewarning because we’ve got a lot of work to do and a lot of infrastructure to fix.”
Krueger said he doesn’t have hard - or even soft - numbers yet on what a solution may cost. But the city is currently working with consultants to come up with long term solutions.