ELORA – Repairing a premature sewer line collapse that closed a downtown street for almost a month last November will cost the township almost $200,000.
Affecting Metcalfe Street between Church Street and James Street and Church Street and Mall Street, the road closed Nov. 15 2023 after township staff discovered 76-metres of sanitary sewer needed to be replaced immediately as they were in an "advanced state of deterioration" and posed a "risk to public health and safety."
According to a new report, the collapsed sections of the sewer had an additional 20 years of typical service life left and likely failed prematurely because of a phenomenon caused by bacteria coating the pipe's interior.
While a typical concrete pipe is 10-15 mm thick, staff observed sections of collapsed pipe crown with only three to five millimetres remaining.
Metcalfe Street was re-opened to vehicular traffic on Dec. 8, 2023, although staff said pedestrian access was always maintained.
To be funded from the Wastewater Capital Reserve, the emergency sewer main replacement and road restoration will cost $190,382, including HST.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
