Willoughby, Eastlake seek to replace sewer that burst near river

The Willoughby-Eastlake Water Pollution Control Center plans to replace a sewer line that was involved in a leak on Nov. 20 between Lakeshore Boulevard and the Chagrin River.

According to Willoughby Director of Public Service Lee Bock, the sewer pipe had corroded and burst after a buildup of hydrogen sulfide gas. The leak caused some discharge into the river, near 35933 Lakeshore Blvd., just across the river from the Willoughby-Eastlake joint water treatment plant where the sewer runs.

The leak was stopped the morning of the occurrence by workers who were able to redirect the flow. Bock stated that a subsequent plug in the line prompted a bypass, about 25 feet of temporary sewer.

“We’ve installed a relief pipe that continues to put the flow into the Eastlake sewer so we that don’t have any backups,” Bock said. “The force main is still pumping, but it’s pumping into this bypass that we installed.”

The city is seeking independent contractors to clear the blockage and replace the damaged line. Gorka said that the blockage is speculated to be near a valve, but they won’t know until a contractor begins work.

“Actually repairing the line in question, that’s probably like 200 feet maybe of line that we’ll have to replace, reline...” said WPCC Superintendent Jack Gorka. “We’ve already repaired a section of it, about 30 feet, but we started it up and it still wasn’t pumping, so that way we know we’ve got a plug... We won’t know (where) until we start digging.”

Gorka said that the gas buildup could’ve been a cause of the blockage.

“The line itself got eaten up and at some point got plugged up, which caused the water to find another path,” Gorka said, “which is manifesting in the break, the pushing up through the ground... It must’ve deadheaded against something, is what we’re thinking, is that part of the soil and all that ran into the pipe and caused the plug.”

Gorka highlighted that the plan is to install the replacement pipe with a type of lining that is designed resist hydrogen sulfide, the compound that had corroded the original pipe.

Willoughby and Eastlake officials are now in search for contractors, so there is not a set date for repairs.

“We’re working with our city engineer and Eastlake’s engineer and coming up with a solution to the problem,” Bock said. “We’re in the process of talking to contractors... to see what their recommendations are and then we’ll go from there.”