News Article

Archived News Release: March 25, 2021 - ​Mid morning on Wednesday, March 24, 2021, a contractor's sanitary sewer bypass pumping operation failed, releasing an estimated 50 gallons of sanitary sewage onto South Main Street, through the gutter and into the storm drain, ultimately reaching Allen Creek and the Huron River. 

The pipe was diverting sanitary sewer flow while the contractor cleaned the sanitary sewer main in advance of lining the pipe. The release occurred when the contractor was removing sections of the bypass pipe for removal and transitioning to the next work location. Work on the lining project is temporarily suspended while the incident is investigated in order to make sure the contractor has adequate safety and contingency measures in place to safely resume work. All costs to the city associated with this incident will be charged to the contractor.

In accordance with regulatory protocols, City of Ann Arbor staff notified the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. 

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