Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — The Bessemer City Council voted Monday evening to file a letter of intent with the state’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, which the city expects to provide funding in relation to the required replacement of lead components within the city’s private water lines.
The action follows a Jan. 20 vote by the council to accept the terms of the Escanaba office of C2AE, which will handle the private property component of the 2021 Bessemer utility project.
The 2021 project, which will be funded in large part by a grant and loan package from the United States Department of Agriculture, will involve replacement of water and sewer lines underneath U.S. 2 and also throughout the city.
“We are teaming up with the USDA on this project, so the USDA will cover part of the cost, but not the private sector,” said Darren Pionk, project manager at C2AE, at Monday’s meeting.
“We’re trying to create a project plan,” said Pionk, who added that the state revolving loan funds were needed to continue progress.
In an advance statement to the council, City Manager Charly Loper also warned members that related rules issued by the state have become “a moving target.”
Loper wrote that “it looks like the state is now saying if someone refuses to have their line replaced, we have to shut off their service.”
The city manager recommended implementing a policy to “minimize disturbance” and, therein, perhaps require homeowners to rework internal plumbing.
She added that City Attorney Ray O’Dea believes the city should provide any related restoration after any lead issues are addressed.
“I don’t see how we can wreck someone’s property and not restore it,” said Council Member Linda Nelson.
As a result, council members included in their Monday vote the intent to complete restoration as needed.
Before the vote, city officials expressed concern at the prospect of needing to replace lead components on property when some landowners might not want the disruption. They also noted that locations or extent of problems are not yet known.
“We had to do our initial inventory this year,” said Neal Nelson, who leads the city’s Public Works staff. “We have to do our final inventory by 2025.”
Pionk said he expects that 100 or more landowners will need to replace lead servicing within their home’s water systems.
Moreover, he said in terms of timing, “You’re in a fairly unique situation just because of the size of the project you have coming up,” he said, referring to the 2021 work.
Mayor Adam Zak suggested that Loper ask the area’s state and national representatives to speak to the council regarding the many questions involved. Loper said that she will make that outreach.
Pionk concluded that he expects no related action to occur in this calendar year.
