South of downtown, park has its own sewer troubles

Wednesday, August 20, 2014 | 6:00 a.m. CDT; updated 7:21 a.m. CDT, Wednesday, August 20, 2014

COLUMBIA John McLeod is frustrated with sewage overflows from two manholes in a private park near his home that have become "geysers of sewage."

Ridgefield Park is a private park in southwest Columbia, and McLeod, who lives at 2307 Ridgefield Road, is president of the Ridgefield Park Association. Homeowners in the surrounding neighborhood own the park.

According to Columbia Public Works Department documents, the two problem manholes in the park have overflowed a combined 20 times in the past five years, with 12 overflows recorded in 2013 alone. The manholes are visible from the County House Trail, which runs through the park.

McLeod believes the best solution would be replacing the sewer as soon as possible. The city plans to install a new sewer line in 2021, and city sewer utility manager David Sorrell said that project would significantly reduce the frequency of overflows at the park.

The Ridgefield Park sewer upgrade, estimated to cost $700,000, is one of many sewer projects in line for help across Columbia. According to city documents, there are 13 city sewer projects in progress and 25 others scheduled for construction by 2019 before the sewer would be replaced in Ridgefield Park. The cost of the 25 projects is an estimated $22 million, and the city still needs $18 million in funding.

Projects that are scheduled before Ridgefield Park include repairs downtown in the Flat Branch watershed, sewer main construction near the upper part of Hinkson Creek and maintenance to reduce sewer backups near Stewart Road.

The problems at the park are primarily due to inflow and infiltration of groundwater or rainwater into the sewer system through leaky pipes or improperly installed downspouts, problems that can cause manholes to overflow.

McLeod said he has spoken four times about the sewer troubles of Ridgefield Park at City Council meetings, most recently on July 21.

"The work we want done, they want to do it in seven years," McLeod said. "We want it done now."

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South of downtown, park has its own sewer troubles