The Constantine Village Council has authorized Village Manager Mark Honeysett to contract with Morris Excavating of White Pigeon to replace 75 feet of six-inch sewer line in the 100 block of East Water Street at a cost of $3,500 – or $9,500 if dewatering is necessary to accommodate the work.

Approval for the project came during the council’s regular meeting Monday evening (December 7th).

In a separate action, the council turned down a proposal to contract with ProForm Pipe Lining Company of Mishawaka, Indiana to install “pipe patch” in a two-to-three-foot section of sewer line in the same block.  The rejection came after the council balked at the not-to-exceed cost of $5,000 for the project.

The “open cut” sewer line replacement to be done by Morris Excavating differs from the authorization given during a special council meeting on November 25th to install cured-in-place lining in 175 feet of six-inch sewer line at a cost of $15,325 – if videotaping showed the work needed to be done.

According to Honeysett, ProForm did the videotaping and reported that 75 feet of sewer line in the alley next to the hardware store is in poor shape and needs repair.  ProForm also reported that 100 feet of sewer line behind the buildings is in good shape, except for the last couple of feet where it ends at the manhole.  Subsequent consultations led to the recommendations for the altered approach with the “open cut” and “pipe patch” projects.

The sewer line work is being done to address groundwater infiltration that is suspected to be the cause of higher-than-expected sewer flows from Constantine to the wastewater treatment plant in Three Rivers.