MUSCATINE, Iowa – Matt Chandler, Supervisor for Sewer Collection and Drainage at the Department of Public Works, was with his crew early last week as the sanitary and storm sewer lines from Broadway to Iowa were cleaned and inspected. Cleaning and inspecting by the contractor was the final steps following a years’ worth of construction that included the installation of new sanitary and storm sewer lines underneath Mississippi Drive.
The cleaning flushes out any debris that finds its way into the lines from the construction process or from weather events, giving the video camera a clear view of the sewers for any abnormalities. So far, nothing has been found.
However, while investigating the lines, city crews went the extra mile and pulled the cover on manhole not associated with the city lines to ensure everything was alright with this new private line. A potential problem was observed in the Merrill Hotel line that empties into the city line on Mississippi Drive that could have resulted in problems for the hotel.
Once the problem was discovered, city staff was able to work with personnel from KMA Excavating and KE Flatwork along with hotel staff and the hotel’s contractor to resolve the issue quickly. The problem may not have been the cities but the city, thanks to Chandler and his team, took the lead in finding the problem and solving it to help a new downtown business.