Hancock to fix sewer lines
Over $800K pledged to project
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HANCOCK -- Hancock City Council met Wednesday and approved several financial commitments to the upcoming water and sewer project on the north side of town. More than $800,000 was pledged by the city to tear up and fix sewer lines on South Lincoln Drive, Elevation Street, Second Street and Prospect Street.
City Manager Mary Babcock explained the logistics saying the project will include completely tearing up one street, replacing its pipes and re-paving it. "It's going to be a complete tear-up of Prospect Street, from Ash to Elevation [Street]," she said. "The water and sewer will be replaced."
$758,193.40 of the funds will go to Houghton excavation company Blue Line Site Solutions to work on the project. Babcock said South Lincoln Drive along with an alleyway between Elevation and Second Street will have work done to replace its old pipes.
According to Babcock, the project will start in late-summer and finish within the calendar year.
At an April a city-wide meeting, Babcock said the city will begin testing for lead in its pipes. At press time, 65% of the pipes within city limits have been tested. "There's no lead in the City of Hancock, as of right now," she said.
Hancock Engineering Consultants OHM will take care of the water testing and administrative duties. The firm was given $63,300.
Another water-related issue the city is facing is a 100,000 gallons per day water loss. According to Babcock, the source of the leak (or leaks) has not yet been identified. She said the city is looking into having leak study done in the near future.
"That is a relatively new phenomenon," she said. "I'm sure it's multiple places around the city. It's not uncommon for us to have a water leak like we had across the street."
Babcock said a small leak was repaired near Huntington Bank recently.
Other items approved at Wednesday's meeting include improvements for a recently purchased police vehicle, a passed ordinance renewing a franchise agreement with Semco Energy, paying for asphalt paving around the city and the approval of the Western U.P. Housing and Development Region's administrative work handling a recently received Michigan State Housing and Development Authority grant for the redevelopment of 222 Hancock Street.