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The City of Houghton is moving forward with plans to improve the water distribution system in the downtown area.
Those plans involve installing several sections of water main on Lakeshore Drive between Ripley Street and Bridge Street Right-of-Way.
Houghton City Manager Eric Waara outlined the project during a public hearing at the City Council’s regular meeting Wednesday.
The proposed water main will loop the downtown area and eliminate dead ends on Bridge Street, Quincy Street, Ripley Street and on Lakeshore Drive east of Ripley Street, as well as loop Isle Royale Street.
Adding this looping will benefit the downtown area in several ways.
It will enhance the domestic and fire flow reliability by providing higher flow capacity and the ability to isolate smaller sections of water main throughout downtown Houghton.
Also, by eliminating these dead ends, water quality will improve in those sections of pipe.
In addition, the City of Houghton intends to rehabilitate several sections of its sanitary sewer collection system and storm sewer system, much of which is the original sewer laid in the early 1900’s.
The proposed sanitary and storm sewer to be replaced is located in the same proximity as proposed water work to take advantage of the proposed construction.
The work will replace sections of clay tile pipe which is a source of much inflow and infiltration, provide further separation of combined sanitary and storm sewers, construct inline manholes where none currently exist on long pipe runs—all which currently contribute to the inflow and infiltration experienced by the city.
Many of these lines are in need of perennial maintenance and repair, being at the end of their service.
Rehabilitation work will allow less maintenance intensive operation into the foreseeable future.
The proposed work will take place in an area that is some of the oldest in the city.
