The bill hasn’t come in yet for the cost of repairing a water-main break that cut off water to numerous businesses along East Green Bay Street last week, but when it does there could be a dispute over who should pay it.
Shawano Lake District Sanitary District Administrator Jerry Weisnicht said the break was caused by a leak in a private fire protection line belonging to a Green Bay Street business.
The force of the water from that leak caused the sanitary district’s water main to break, Weisnicht said.
Weisnicht declined to name the business because of the likely difference over the bill.
“It’s going to be a legal issue,” he said.
Weisnicht estimated the cost of repair, along with water loss resulting from the rupture, could be anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000. The repairs were done by a contractor.
The break occurred early in the morning of March 10, just west of Airport Road.
Water was shut off to a number of businesses west of the break from about 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday while the water main was repaired. Businesses were affected as far west as McDonald’s, 1202 E. Green Bay St.
That area is served by the sanitary district because the city limits ended at the cemetery next to McDonald’s in 1973 when the water main was installed, Weisnicht said.
The water main break — and how to avoid having to turn off water in the event of another one — will be a topic of discussion when the Shawano Lake Sanitary District Commission meets on Tuesday.
Currently, water customers in that area are on a water line that crosses Green Bay Street past McDonald’s and extends to some homes behind Pick ‘N Save where it dead-ends. If water has to be shut off at some point along the line, all of the customers beyond that point lose their water.
The district has been looking for a way to continue the water line into a full loop.
“It’s going to be a priority to get that done this year,” Weisnicht said.
One option would make use of the Mountain Bay Trail, but that would require the approval of the Department of Natural Resources.
Weisnicht said an application for the necessary permits was filed with the DNR a year ago, but there has been no response.
He said there have been talks with property owners about possible right-of-ways for another route.
A third option could be hooking into the city’s water system for use as a backup when needed.
City Administrator Brian Knapp said Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard would be consulting with Weisnicht on whether that’s feasible.
Knapp said the impact on city businesses during last week’s break was a concern.
“We want to do anything we can to keep them in service,” he said.
The water main already taps into the city system near Airport Road, Weisnicht said, but because it was on the other side of the water main break it wasn’t able to help in this case.
Hooking up west of McDonald’s could be tricky, Weisnicht said, because the line would have to cross the cemetery. He said it could require an archaeological study to make sure there are no unmarked graves disturbed.
He said it will be one of the options on the table when the commission meets.
THE NEXT STEP
WHAT: Shawano Lake Sanitary Commission will discuss options for looping the Lake District water main or connecting to the city system.
WHEN: 9 a.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Administrative Office, Wastewater Treatment Facility, N4802 River Bend Road, Belle Plaine