With 2011 being the wettest year on record, 23% of Avon Lake residents experienced basement flooding. Sanitary sewer surcharges resulting from the influx of stormwater caused some of this flooding. To help prevent this in the future, ALMU and the City are doing many different things. One that will directly affect you is that as ALMU and the City undertake combined sewer separation projects, residents will be required to connect to the new lines with separate sanitary and storm laterals. Residents may complete the work themselves, or they may elect to use the contractor ALMU selects through a competitive bidding process. ALMU will subsidize part of the work, which will cost you no more than $2,650 and may either be paid in full upon completion of the work or may be included as a charge on your sewer bill for the next 10 years ($75/quarter) or 15 years ($57/quarter).

Some residents in the project area already have separate sanitary and storm laterals. Once it is confirmed that the sanitary lateral is not allowing clean water sources to enter into the sanitary sewer, these residents will not be required to install new laterals. However, if the residents want to take this opportunity to replace their laterals under this program, ALMU will offer the same terms above.

ALMU has applied to Lorain County Community Development for grant funding assistance for low- to moderate-income individuals within the project area. We should learn in June whether grant funds will be awarded to help these individuals.

We hope you will attend one of the meetings to learn more about the project, how it will impact you, and what ALMU and the City are doing to minimize the impacts. To keep current, follow the Twitter account @BelmarCSS or check back here regularly.

Technical Trainer George Lacefield discusses fire hydrant maintenance safety with municipal utility, fire, and private contractor personnel.

Earn continuing education credit hours

About one hundred and twenty municipal utility water distribution, fire department, and private contractor personnel from Northeast Ohio attended a Mueller Product Training Course, Thursday, April 26, at Avon Lake Municipal Utilities. The Mueller Co. is the largest full-line supplier of flow control products used in distribution lines for municipal potable water.

About one hundred twenty municipal utility, fire department and private contractor personnel attended a Mueller Product Training Course hosted by Avon Lake Municipal Utilities.

Mueller Sales Jason Snell and Technical Trainer George Lacefield conducted the five-hour training session in the Avon Lake Municipal Utilities Garage on Miller Road. The morning session included a discussion about fire hydrant operation, maintenance safety, and security.

Hydrant locking devices prevent stealing parts for purposes of selling them as scrap metal, the unauthorized use of hydrant water, and possible contamination of the public water supply.

The afternoon session covered valve operation and safety, pipe repair, the proper selection and safe installation of pipe equipment and parts. The day’s session concluded with a discussion of the safe operation of drilling and tapping machines.

Those attending received a Certificate of Training that confirmed they successfully completed the product training. Certified Distribution Operators will receive five hours of continuing education credit from EPA for completing the course. Mueller and H.D. Supply of Amherst sponsored the training session which included a catered lunch.

There are no projects currently out for bidding.

ALMU anticipates bidding the Belmar Combined Sewer Separation, the Water Filtration Plant Expansion, and the Water Pollution Control Center Rehabilitarion later this year.

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