Ottawa City Council eyes more sewer system work on west, south sides

More work is coming to Ottawa’s sewer systems as the City Council met Tuesday and approved multiple action items involving the city’s underground system.

In response to a motion by Commissioner Brett Barron, the council approved a resolution authorizing an engineering design and construction agreement with Renwick and Associates for the Canal Street sewer separation and repair on the city’s west side.

Barron said that the repairs to the sewers, part of Ottawa’s long term control plan, will help cut down on the flow to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. He added that there will also be applications made for Illinois Environmental Protection Agency grants in January to help defer some of the cost of the $1.5 million project.

The city also approved the advertisement for bids for work on the separation of sewers on the south side west of Illinois Route 23.

For this effort, grants have been applied for and denied due to the lack of low-to-moderate income residents in the area, so the city is expected to bear the brunt of the estimated $2 million cost.

Once the sewer work is completed, work will begin on the street improvements planned for both areas, Barron said.

“People will be happy for two reasons: it will eliminate the flooding in the basement due to sewer back-ups and it will lead to the streets being repaired,” Barron said. “So there should be a lot of happy home owners on the south side.”

In other action:

• The council approved a bid of $1,128,895.05 from Advanced Asphalt for the 2023 Street Maintenance Program.

• The council approved a zoning variance that will allow the First Federal Savings Bank’s new 72-foot sign to exceed the city’s size standard of 50 feet.

• The council approved a resolution requesting permission from the Illinois Department of Transportation to temporarily close La Salle Street from Lafayette Street to Lincoln Place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 28 for the annual Halloween Parade.