Sewer Rehabilitation Fund

In an effort to address the aging infrastructure needs of the sanitary sewer collection system, the City of Rocky River established a Sewer Rehabilitation Fund.  The fund will be used for “…the accumulation of resources to rehabilitate through acquisition, construction, or improvement the City’s sanitary sewer infrastructure” (City of Rocky River Ordinance No. 9-08.)  A comprehensive sewer maintenance and rehabilitation plan has been developed to address these critical infrastructure needs which include ongoing maintenance, a thorough evaluation of the system to determine needs and priorities, and short term and long term efforts to effectively build capacity and eliminate infiltration.

To support this newly established fund, beginning with the current bill a fixed fee of $25.00 per quarter is one of the resources the City will access to provide funding to address the challenges of the sanitary sewer system.  The existing fees established for the sanitary sewer system are unchanged and are currently sufficient to operate the system and the associated needs of the Rocky River Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Other sources of revenue directed towards this fund include grants, loan contributions and participation from Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio. A portion of the existing Sanitary Sewer Fund may be transferred to a new Sewer Rehabilitation Fund, if needed. The funding sources for infrastructure projects will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis depending on the variable factors of each project.

The first significant project is being undertaken in an area known as the Valley View Sewer District.  In response to house flooding during regular rainfall, the project need was demonstrated by televising the existing sanitary sewer line and finding significant infiltration and failure of those lines.  Original clay tile sanitary sewer lines dating from the late 1920’s or early 1930’s will be replaced with polyvinyl chloride (or PVC) and a pump station will be replaced.  The total estimated project cost of $4,900,000 will be partially funded through a 30 year interest-free loan of $2,987,712 to the City from the Ohio Public Works Commission and the resources provided by the sewer rate increase.

Engineering has begun and will be ongoing through 2008 along East Shoreland Avenue; Edgewood Drive; High Parkway; Valleyview Drive and Winfield Avenue.  The actual sewer replacement will start as soon as 2009 – 2010.

“A need in the neighborhood was identified,” said Jim Linden, Safety-Service Director, “and the City has applied and collected resources to address the need for these residents.  Outcomes upon completion of this project include eliminating infiltration of storm water into the sanitary sewer system and the elimination of storm water flowing to the City of Lakewood Wastewater Treatment Plant and meeting Ohio EPA (Environment Protection Agency) requirements.”

Questions regarding the sewer rate increase should be directed to Michael Thomas, Director of Finance or the Sewer Charge Administrator at City Hall at 331-0600.