(Kaukauna, Wis.) – The Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District (HOVMSD) is moving ahead with plans for a major interceptor repair and maintenance project that will allow the utility to continue to seamlessly serve its customers, area residents and businesses.
The project involves installing a liner inside the concrete interceptor pipe that carries sewage to the district’s treatment plant. The new liner is resistant to acid, which causes corrosion. “The most recent video inspection of the pipe system found extensive surface corrosion, which threatens the longevity of the pipe,” said Brian Helminger, HOVMSD Director. “Without this project, more widespread damage will take place over time, requiring more extensive repair or potentially even replacement, at a much greater cost.”
The 5.5-mile system along the Fox River was originally installed in 1977 to serve Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Combined Locks and the Darboy Sanitary District. Helminger says the interceptor is structurally sound and has the remaining capacity to collect and treat wastewater for many years without major upgrades while protecting public health and the environment.
The initial project estimate in 2017 was $21.8 million, but the actual cost of the project will be determined when bids are let in the fourth quarter of 2022. “We take our fiscal responsibility to the district seriously, and that effort is reflected in our annual budget and the flow rate we charge to customers,” Helminger added. “The impact of the interceptor project cost on the flow rate will be calculated as the final project budget is determined.”
