Officials with the City of Laurel are working to establish a new policy regarding unstopping sewer service lines in the city while providing residents with efficient customer service.
The Laurel City Council will also consider purchasing new equipment to assist employees in handling sewer service lines.
During a meeting of the Public Works Committee of the City Council, officials discussed this week the need to establish a new policy that would help reduce overtime of city employees.
United Water has been operating the city’s water and sewer services since October 2006.
Project Manager for United Water Ralph Gorenflo said a majority of the calls concerning sewer service lines are on the weekend and after hours, thus resulting in overtime for employees.
However, officials said, a majority of the calls requesting sewer line service result in not being on city property.
“A large percentage of the calls are the result of tree roots growing up in sewer lines and causing problems. A lot of times the resident doesn’t know what the problem is until someone goes out to see,” said Dennis Keveryn, the City of Laurel’s chief administrative officer. “We are now just trying to get a grip on this and determine how this matter can be better handled.”
Keveryn said the city has conducted two meetings where plumbers doing work in the city have been invited. However, only six plumbers have been represented.
“We’ve met on this and we invited them all to come,” Keveryn said. “We wanted to talk to the plumbers so they would know what to look for when they get there; so they would know whether it’s a city or a private individual’s problem.”
Although the city will not be recommending plumbers, officials said, when residents call about the matter and it is determined not to be a city matter, the resident will be given a list of certified plumbers — derived from the meetings — as a customer service.
Also as a way to help with this matter, the committee has proposed to the entire council that the city purchase three hydraulic manhole lifters.
According to documents submitted to the City Council, the equipment is needed “in order to allow an employee to lift a manhole cover without assistance.”
The order being proposed to the council states that “there is a need to purchase three hydraulic manhole lifters to be mounted on truck #310, truck #332 and truck #358.”
The document states that the three manhole lifters from Rock Mills Enterprises Inc. will cost $3,795 each for a total purchase of $11,385.
The City Council will discuss the purchase of the equipment along with other items during its meeting Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Laurel City Hall.
Meanwhile, city officials said they will be drafting a policy/letter regarding the unstopping of sewer lines that will be available to residents upon request of services.
Local News
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Photo/Eloria Newell James
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