When the ground finally dries out from all this rain, Arkansas City manager Doug Russell hopes to find out how seriously the city’s sewer system was damaged.
City officials are concerned that a primary wastewater line, pushed beyond capacity during flooding late last month, may have collapsed. The damage could cost $5,000, or as much as $500,000, to repair.
“We just don’t know anything yet, it could be minor,” Russell said. “The water table has to go down so we can have a look.”
Sinkholes visible above ground are a sign that a line may have collapsed below. When conditions are dry enough, the city can use a video camera to scope the line and see what damage is done.
The line is an older one and the potentially collapsed area runs somewhere between south Summit and the wastewater treatment plant on the south end of Ark City, Russell said.
Heavy rains and rising water infiltrated the city’s wastewater system and pushed water levels well above normal. Ordinarily, about 1.3 million gallons per day are treated in Ark City and the system is designed to process up to four million per day.
On June 29, when flooding was at its worst, the Ark City plant had over seven million gallons come in. Russell said pressure on the lines to handle that much water can cause problems.
The sewer system continues to operate normally.
Concern about the sewer line and damage to Walnut Park are the city’s main post-flood concerns, Russell said. Damage to the park, which is near the U.S. 77 bypass where flooding was the worst in Ark City, is estimated at $50,000.
“I know the entrance road was damaged,” he said.
The city expects to receive federal reimbursement to cover at least some of the clean up and repair costs.
