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Business & Tech

Concord to Excavate for Sewer Upgrades Downtown in 2012

City engineer outlines plans for Todos Santos Business Association.

Look for traffic-gnarly street trenches in 2012 as the city plans a major sewer overhaul downtown.

The City Council, on Monday night authorized an $18 increase in sewer service charges, down two dollars from the initial staff recommendation. Watch Patch for an update on the sewer charge issue.

On Tuesday morning, Acting City Engineer Danea Gemmell mapped out the sewer upgrade plans in a presentation to the Todos Santos Business Association.

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Last year, the city engineering group started a sewer condition assessment in downtown Concord, evaluating the structural deficiences in pipes.

“Pretty much every pipe in the downtown area has cracks,” said Gemmell.

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Next year’s updating will involve upsizing many mains.

The project should run about $6.5 million and the city has been setting aside money for years.

“We want to make sure we come in and do it one time and get out,” said Gemmell. She said the city would coordinate with utilities to see if they want to do maintenance projects — such as water valve replacements by the water district — while the streets are excavated to a depth of eight to 12 feet below grade.

Also the city might take the opportunity for some sidewalk and streetscape beautification modifications during the project.

The city will try to avoid the summertime with the popular downtown farmers market-and-music Thursdays, and the wettest part of the winter, Gemmell said. That leaves narrow windows.

She advised restaurants that a time when streets are excavated during the project might be the right time to install grease interceptors, often located under sidewalks. The interceptors are more comprehensive than the grease traps installed beneath restaurant sinks.

“We will spend the next year getting our plans drawn up and coordinate with all of you,” Gemmell told some 40 people in the audience.

“The city is working with us to try to lessen the impacts on business,” said association President Virginia Thomas, “and I appreciate that.”

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