Bad sewer month for Portage Township

By GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer
PORTAGE TOWNSHIP — A rainy month combined with probable infiltration resulted in a bad month for Portage Township’s sewer charges.

April’s bill came to $29,552, which Supervisor Bill Bingham said was above average.

“It appears in 2008, we’ll have one bad month,” he said at Monday’s monthly board meeting.

The way that came about was irregular, Bingham said. More than $8,000 of the bill came from penalty fees, which are triggered when the township has more than 100,000 gallons of sewage in a day. For the next 25,000 gallons, the rate doubles; 25,000 more, and it triples.

The township’s soil is saturated with water, Bingham said, creating optimal conditions for infiltration. He pointed to April 28, when the township had 97,000 gallons; a typical day is between 55,000 and 65,000.

“If there was no leakage with infiltration, the 100,000 gallons (limit) would be adequate,” he said.

Bingham said a search of the sewer lines is being conducted to find the source of the infiltration.

“We’ll find it,” he said. “We have to find it.”

In other action, the board:

• discussed an upcoming scrap metal pick-up in the township. The township will be sending out a pick-up schedule to residents. Materials will be limited to metal.

• approved an ordinance changing language in the penalty fee for late payments on water and sewer bills. Where it had previously stipulated 2.5 percent fees on water and sewer bills separately, it was revised to 5 percent on the combined water and sewer bills. A public hearing before the meeting yielded no public comment, Bingham said.

• heard public comment about motorists on Maple Street in Dodgeville, where roadwork is being done. The street has a temporary posting of 25 miles per hour; it was suggested it should be lowered to 15, thereby discouraging those who are going 35.

Resident Dale Belanger recounted one incident where a driver nearly hit a child who was playing in the street.

“The kid froze, she swerved and missed him, and I was like, ‘Oh cripe, something’s got to be done,’” he said.

• approved a paving contract for Gundlach Road. The township will pay $11,680, or 25 percent of the cost; the county will pay for the remainder.

• approved the purchase of 9,100 gallons of oil for township roads. The amount is about the same as last year. The price has increased over last year, Bingham said, going from $1.77 to $1.95.

The board discussed, but rejected, purchasing calcium chloride, a cheaper substitute. After complaints from the public about the material, Bingham added that it is ineffective if there’s blacktop underneath.

• discussed a recent meeting with Trimedia Consultants, which is remapping the county’s tax maps.

Bingham said an additional piece of software must still be purchased; they’re looking at sharing the fees between the county, townships and cities, Bingham said.

Bingham said one person may be trained as a “guru” of updating, who would then travel to each governmental unit.

• discussed a certified letter sent Monday to a township resident telling them they had violated the township’s junk car ordinance.



Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com