Sewer Separation FAQ
Following are answers to questions asked by residents at the January 9 meeting at Bryant Middle School for the CSO 4 project area. Click on an area of interest below or scroll down the page to browse the complete list of questions and answers.
FAQs about:
1) What are the normal construction hours?
Hours may vary depending on scheduled activity and weather, but in general working hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some Saturdays may be necessary as well.
2) Where will residents park when driveways are not available?
Residents can park on alternate streets, or at corner side streets not under construction. Or they may coordinate with neighbors that have access to their driveways.
3) How will residents know which two weeks the concrete is curing and they will not be able to drive on their street?
Construction schedules will be updated on the City's website to keep residents informed. Look for the Construction heading. Also, notices regarding paving are delivered to residents a few days ahead of the paving start time.
4) Understanding the construction schedule is tentative based on weather, etc., how will changes to the construction schedule be communicated?
Information regarding this project will be reviewed periodically and the most current schedule will be posted on the City of Dearborn website at www.cityofdearborn.org under the Construction heading.
5) How will trash pick-up be handled?
Trash pick-up will continue, however, depending on construction activity, it may be necessary to bring the carts across the street for pick up.
6) If DTE has to enter my house, will they be flexible with my schedule in order for the work to be done?
Yes. DTE/Michcon is conducting work in the neighborhood and during the same period as the sewer work is being done. According to DTE, they will contact residents at individual houses to schedule upgrades as needed.
NOTE: If you smell gas at any time, immediately call DTE/Michcon at 1-800-947-5000.
7) What safety precautions will be taken for those leaving and coming home during later and early hours while cars are parked on streets other than your own? Will there be extra security for vehicles while parked on streets during construction?
Police and Fire departments are notified of upcoming construction schedules. They do increase patrol in these areas for protection of residents, construction equipment, etc. And, while a car should be just as safe around the block as in front of your house, if you feel the need, or notice something suspect, call the police.
8) Is the city advising "first responders" (emergency responders) of this construction plan? Will they be able to respond if needed?
Police and Fire departments will be notified of the upcoming construction season. Access will be available for them during construction.
9) What is the plan to prevent contaminants from entering the water supply during the change over to new water mains? How does the City make sure water is safe when we turn it on after the service is transferred to the new main?
The new water main is constructed, flushed and chlorinated. The water is then tested, by a certified laboratory, for bacteria and chlorine levels prior to transferring any of the existing services.
10) Where will the new water mains be located?
The location of the new water main varies from street to street. In general, it is proposed close to the existing water main and in the street or near the curb. There are some exceptions. For specific locations, the plans are available for review at City Hall, in the Engineering Division, on the third floor of the West Wing, closest to Maple.
11) Should homeowners change their water line from their house at this time? Will homeowners be notified if they have lead pipes?
Lead services will be replaced within the City right-of-way with copper. The water service material is not known until it is exposed. However, residents can check the meter inside their house to see the incoming pipe which, in general, is the same material as the pipe between the lead and their house. To find out material type of their pipe, residents also can contact the Engineering Division after service has been transferred. It is at the property owner's discretion to change the pipe. As long as property owners flush the stale or stagnant water from their water pipe before use, it is not necessary to replace the lead waterlines.
12) Will homeowners have the opportunity to clean their sewer line from the house before new connections are made? How will information be communicated?
During construction, the sewer lead is checked at the point of connection. The contractor generally can see into the lead about 10-12 ft. if there are no bends. If a potential blockage or roots are noticed, the resident is notified. Residents may choose to have the sewer lead cleaned by their own contractor prior to connection. This may be coordinated by checking the construction schedule on the City's website.
13) What if the sewer lead is under a tree, interfering with the roots?
During construction, if the sewer lead is found to be under a tree, residents will be given the option of inserting a 4-inch PVC liner, with written approval, in the existing lead. This inhibits roots from infiltrating the lead. Or the lead may be re-routed around tree. If residents think they may be out of town during sewer work, they may wish to call construction engineering technician Kelli Moore at 313-613-1994 to provide a contact number or person who can represent the resident during construction.
14) Are there any concerns about leaving the existing water pipes in the ground? Will there be sinkholes?
The existing water main is a smaller 6 inch pipe and the City has not experienced any sinkholes or other problems when allowing these to remain in the ground after construction.
15) Will driveway aprons be replaced with same size aprons?
Yes, driveway aprons will be replaced with the same size as it was prior to construction, with concrete only.
16) What sidewalks will be replaced and why?
Most of the sidewalks that must be replaced are to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Sidewalks must have maximum 2% cross slope, which is the slope pitched toward the roadway, and maximum 8% longitudinal slope. In order to achieve 2% cross slopes, some driveways on the private side of the sidewalk will need to be removed, regraded and replaced, along with the sidewalk to meet these slope requirements. If there is a question about a specific area, the plans are available for review at City Hall, in the Engineering Division, on the third floor of the West Wing, closest to Maple.
17) Is there any reason homeowners will be responsible to pay for sidewalk replacement?
Sidewalk removed as part of the project will be included in project costs at no expense to the homeowner. If the homeowner individually contracts to replace any sidewalk outside project limits, they will be responsible for the costs.
18) Can residents request additional concrete work be done while the crew is in the area? If homeowners choose to replace portions of sidewalk (at their expense) not affected by this project, will the price from contractor be the same in 2012 and 2013?
Some contractors will agree to perform private work while in the area. It will be at the contractor's discretion as to whether they will do work beyond the contract limits and the City does not contract, nor supervise, this work. In general, the prices change from year to year.
19) Will brick paver driveways and secondary walkways be replaced in like kind?
No. The contractor will replace all drives and walks with concrete. If a resident chooses to keep pavers, it is recommended they remove them prior to construction and replace pavers themselves following construction.
20) Is there a plan to angle new curbs in order to prevent damage to tires?
The City standards for curbs and gutters are being utilized on new roads, which are 7-inch curbs. The curb height allows for future maintenance overlays on the roads while still providing enough depth for a gutter line.
21) Why have some streets been replaced in the past with partial concrete and asphalt compared to full width concrete?
In general, the type of material used to replace road has to do with where the utility work is located and the amount of disruption. In this case, the roads will be totally removed for utility construction and replaced with all concrete.
22) Is there a 1930s agreement in place that prevents using concrete vs. asphalt?
The City standard for the last 25 years is to construct and/or reconstruct full width roadways with a concrete surface. The City is not aware of any agreement that would preclude use of concrete. This inquiry will be referred to the Legal Department to investigate if there is any legally binding agreements regarding pavement type.
23) How will sprinkler systems be handled? When should they be marked or removed? What is the timing for replacement?
The contractor is responsible to repair sprinklers it disrupts during construction. It is recommended the zone in the area between the curb and sidewalk be turned off during construction. Also, since there are no City records for sprinkler locations, it is recommended the property owner locate and flag sprinkler heads so the contractor is aware of locations. It is also suggested that sprinkler heads that are special or non-standard be removed prior to construction, as they can be hard to replace. Sprinklers should be marked, with flags or paint, or removed prior to construction on the street. The contractor will replace sprinklers, after paving, as part of restoration activities.
24) After sprinkler work is completed, can homeowners hire their own contractor to evaluate and ensure sprinkler replacement has been done correctly? Will the homeowner's expense be reimbursed by City?
Sprinkler repairs are included as part of the project cost and the contractor must be provided the opportunity to repair the system. The City will not reimburse work "checked" by another contractor; however residents may choose to have their contractor review work at their own cost. Only in very unusual circumstances has the City reimbursed residents for repairs--especially in cases where the general contractor failed to provide timely repairs to the sprinkler system. In such cases, a minimum of three quotes from licensed contractors must be provided and approved by City of Dearborn prior to work being done. Work done without City approval will not be reimbursed.
25) What is the tax impact for this project?
It is covered under the current millage approved for the CSO project by the property owners.
26) Has the City done similar projects in the past?
The City has been working on similar projects for the last 10 years.
27) Has the City used this contractor before? How was the company selected?
This particular contractor completed work in the City in the 1990s. It also had satisfactory references from other governmental agencies for more recent projects. The City has a complex bid process for contractor selection.
28) Some concrete street replacement in the City have had problems, are you using the same contractors for this project?
No.
29) Is the City aware of any damage to a house on past projects due to use of heavy equipment? What should we do to guarantee a repair if something occurs?
The City is not aware of any damages to homes due to heavy equipment. The City takes video to document conditions of sidewalks, driveways, etc. prior to construction. If property owners are concerned, they are encouraged to document the conditions of their homes, inside and out, prior to construction. It is highly recommended that residents use cameras or videos that display the date, to show exactly how the home appeared before construction. Photo/video documentation could be used to support claims.
30) Will top soil and sod replacement be of a high quality?
Yes, the contractor is required to follow the project specifications, which require high quality top soil and sod.
31) What precautions are planned to prevent losing trees? What reasons would result in losing a tree?
During the design phase, effort is made to avoid trees when determining utility locations. In past projects, tree removal has been kept to a minimum. However, due to house lead locations and proximity to curbs, some trees may have to have root systems cut. The City has staff to evaluate and monitor trees after construction as well.
32) Why not use bioswales to capture rain water and return it to ground instead of going to the sewers to handle the storm water capacity problem?
First, the existing system is not experiencing a capacity problem. It needs to be separated so that waste water is not going to the river during storm events and so the storm water is not being sent to treatment plants. Using bioswales in a dense, urban community is not feasible due to space, slope and soil conditions.
33) How does this project relate to the caisson project next to Dearborn High? If there is no relationship, will those caissons ever be used?
The caisson project is a retention method of CSO control. It eliminates or minimizes discharges to the river. Sewer separation is another method of CSO control allowing for discharge of storm water only into the river. Both methods are being used in various areas of Dearborn.
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