Euclid Creek Tributary Watershed Sanitary Sewers
Lateral Installation Program
MARCH, 2010

Background

Willoughby Hills is now in the third and final phase of providing sanitary sewer service for the western portion of the City that is part of the City of Euclid’s Sewer District.  Willoughby Hills has an Agreement with Euclid who provides wastewater treatment for this portion of the City.  This District includes the western side of the City extending south to the City’s corporation line and with an easterly limit at the City Hall complex and the Community Center on Chardon Road. 

Sewer construction is well underway and is scheduled to be completed in 2010 on the following streets:

• White Road from just east of Bishop Road to the City’s westerly corporation limit
• Bishop Road from just south of White Road north to the Creek
• Tall Tree Trail
• Lynn Drive and Cricket Lane
• White Road from Erich Drive to just west of Lynn Drive
• Erich Drive and a portion of Willow Lane
• Eddy Road from just east of Orchard Drive to Rockefeller Road
• Rockefeller Road from Eddy Road to I-90
• Sayle Drive

Property owners will receive a written order from the Lake County General Health District upon completion of the City’s sewer project.  Owners must connect to the sewer within one (1) year of notification.  The City understands the burdens these requirements will place on the homeowners.  This lateral installation program was developed to provide assistance.

Installation Program

I.      As part of the first phase of this program, the City will advertise or solicit contractors who are interested in performing the work for the individual homeowners to an informational meeting.  The advertisement will be an invitation supported by some general information about the project and its schedule.  The informational meeting will help judge interest and capacity of the contractors to perform multiple installations.  The City of Willoughby Hills will not participate in any negotiations or enter into any contractual obligations with these contractors.  It remains the homeowner’s sole responsibility for this action.  The City will advise interested contractors on the specifications and permitting obligations for the installation process.  The City will schedule this program in advance of the completion of the project.

II.    The second phase will involve two (2) separate meetings with neighborhoods.  At these meetings, informational packets will be distributed.  Included in these packets will be a “cut-away” sketch of the new lateral to be installed, a copy of the City’s specification sheet, an explanation of the work to be done and a discussion of the cost of work.  The residents will be informed of the advantages of having work performed as early as possible so that only the final connections will be needed once the sewers are accepted.   A list of registered and interested contractors will be provided to the residents.  Please consider collaborating with your neighbors in order to negotiate a bulk price from Contractors.  It will be up to each neighborhood group to organize this effort.  The City will notify you of the time and date of these meetings at the Community Center.

III.   The third phase of this program will be the installation of your sewer lateral connection.  Once the sewer main has been accepted by the City, the Lake County General Health District will issue a notice of connection.  This notice will indicate one (1) year as the time period for connection.  The property owner will need to contract with a City-registered contractor who is required to post a bond with the City’s Building Department.  The homeowner or his/her contractor will contact the City’s Building Dept. to request an application for a sanitary sewer connection.  These applications will be available with the Building Dept. and they will specify the fees due to the City before any work is permitted to proceed.  Your contractor will be required to call for inspection at least 48 hours in advance of the work.  Once the sewer lateral has been connected, the City notifies the Lake County General Health District and the Lake County Utilities/Billing Department.  The City’s Service Dept. will perform a dye test to ensure that no clean water connections to the sanitary sewer are evident.

Additional information to assist property owners:

Please accept this as guidance on how to get your connection to the sanitary sewer done.

1. The City will provide a copy of contractors who are registered with the City to perform the work.  Please review this list either individually and/or speak with your neighbors.  As noted, it may be advisable to select and hire a contractor as a group with neighbors on your street who will have the same requirements.  The advantage for you is to get a discounted price based upon the volume of work a contractor could have on your street.
      
2. When you do speak with a contractor, request a list of references with names and phone numbers for you to contact to ask about their performance.  Research the background of contractors you consider with the Better Business Bureau.  Many of these contractors were probably involved in installing sewer connections for many of your fellow residents recently as part of the City’s other sewer projects.  Those streets already completed include Marcum, Parkview, Martin, Dixon, Emerald Lakes, Evergreen, SOM Center Road, Rockefeller Road, Eddy Road and Bishop Road.
    
3. We are providing you with a “cut-away” sketch of the new lateral to be installed (attached at the end of this document) and a copy of the City’s specification sheet. 
    
4. After review and research of these contractors, solicit a detailed quotation to perform the work and request that the contractor visit your property to examine and review where your lateral will be installed.  At a minimum, the City suggests the detailed quote include unit prices to install the pipe or lateral; the cost to properly pump out your septic tanks and abandon it; and the final restoration of your property with topsoil and seed or sod depending upon your individual needs.  
    
5. If a deposit is requested, make sure it is reasonable.  Agree to only reasonable and measurable progress payments.  Insist upon completion and acceptance by the City before you make final payment.
    
6. Your installation has to be free and clear of any connections from your footer drains, sump pumps, or downspouts.  The City will confirm that with the dye test when your Contractor has completed the job.

For a printer-friendly copy of this document, click here

Sanitary Sewer System Investigation & Detection Program (3/24/10)

The City began a methodical approach to ensure the proper operation and functioning of the City’s sanitary sewer system.  An investigation will be conducted annually for each neighborhood with sewers.  The City began with the Green Ridge neighborhood that includes Miller, Alan, Meadowbrook and Diane on the north side of I-90.  Corrections are being made both by the City and by property owners to ensure that only sanitary wastewater is connected and that the sewer system in general is sound.

From the Summer/Fall issue of the Euclid Creek Watershed newsletter (September, 2009)
Willoughby Hills Improving Main Branch of Euclid Creek Laura Kramer Kuns, LCGHD

The Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) conducted an extensive sewage pollution survey in the Euclid Creek Watershed that included sewage system tracing dye testing of household sewage treatment systems and water quality sampling for fecal coliform bacteria in the watershed. The survey began in 1996 and took over three years to complete.  In the spring of 2000, the LCGHD submitted the survey report to the City of Willoughby Hills summarizing the findings.  The soils in the Euclid Creek Watershed are silt loams with shallow shale bedrock, seasonal high water tables and very slow permeability.

The improvements to the watershed will be documented by follow up fecal coliform sampling at the completion of phase three of the project.  The improvement in the quality of the water in the drainage ditches in the completed areas is evident as there is no longer black, stinky water and sludge present in the water.

Area "C" sewer meeting (June, 2009)

The City held two townhall meetings for the residents in the current sewer project area, known as "Assessment Area C".  The purpose of these meetings was to present the plans and schedule for the current sewer construction project.  Representatives from the City Engineer's office, the City Administration and Council, and the Lake County General Health District, were present to outline the project details and answer questions. 

To view the PowerPoint presentation given at these meetings, click here