During this week’s Columbus City Council session, members approved a proposal that forwards a project that aims to eliminate stormwater infiltration into the city’s sanitary sewers in the Hilltop neighborhood.

Councilmember Michael Stinziano sponsored the measure which enables the city to enter into a construction contract for the Blueprint Hilltop Lining Project, an effort to rehabilitate existing sanitary sewer mains and associated manholes in the project area.

According to details posted on the city’s website, the project includes in excess of 100,000 linear feet of 8-inch to 30-inch diameter sewers and over 500 manholes.

The sewers will be rehabilitated using cured-in-place pipe methods and the manholes will be rehabilitated with a cementitious liner. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2016.

Residents in the project area — bounded by West Broad Street on the north, Derrer Road on the west, Sullivant Avenue on the south and Wheatland Avenue on the east — will receive notifications prior to the work being performed.

Notifications will provide information on timing of the work, contact information and a request to restrict water usage for the short time (between eight to 10 hours) while sewer main is being lined.

Reduction of non-sewerage waters to the sanitary sewer system would reduce occurrences of water in basements and sewerage overflows to area streams and rivers, details of the plan outlined.

Construction costs are estimated at approximately $6 million.

The city has secured financing through a below market-rate loan through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund Program.

According to details of the plan, prior to granting this loan, the Ohio EPA required a detailed submittal from the Division of Sewerage and Drainage to determine the project’s eligibility.

Blueprint projects also are in the works for the Linden area and Clintonville.

For additional information, please contact the Sewer Systems Engineering Section at (614) 645-0485.