Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
The city of Shawano will spend about $11,000 to upgrade the lift station pumps at the River Pines subdivision because someone there has apparently been flushing items down the toilet that the system can’t handle, according to city officials.
Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said the system has been getting clogged by heavy-duty paper towels.
Alderman Bob Kurkiewicz raised the issue about four years ago at a Shawano Common Council meeting, but the problem has continued.
“This appears to be our only alternative, to put in a different kind of system,” Kurkiewicz said at Wednesday’s council meeting.
“We do have an issue with people in that area potentially flushing what looks like drop cloths or rags down the sewer, and it’s clogging up the pumps,” Sheppard told the council.
There are only 26 homes in the River Pines subdivision — located off Old Highway 29 near state Highway 47-55 —and the limited number of residences could be part of the problem.
Sheppard said there isn’t as much water flowing through the River Pines lift station as there is flowing through other stations that serve more homes and businesses.
“In a place where you don’t have much water, you’re going to see more solids,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard said the city has been unclogging the River Pines system about six or seven times a year.
The DPW sent letters to residents of the subdivision alerting them to the problem, but the illicit flushing has continued.
“I think we’ve done everything we can do to get the awareness out there,” Sheppard said.
The Common Council approved a bid from Crane Engineering, of Kimberly, in the amount of $11,084 for replacement of the River Pine lift pumps.
“Hopefully, the design of this newer pump will fix that issue,” Sheppard said.