Sioux Center officials say sewer upgrades made during the Highway 75 reconstruction project are reducing the amount of rainwater and groundwater entering sewer lines along the highway, freeing up capacity and lowering the cost of treating excess water.
The city replaced about two miles of sewer main between 16th Street Southeast and 12th Street North, along with 90 service lines extending from the main to customers’ right-of-way lines.
Wastewater Department Head Zeke Ellis said the new pipes have eliminated places where outside water was entering the sewer system and eventually reaching the wastewater treatment plant.
“We have seen a reduction of 95% of the inflow and infiltration coming from along Highway 75,” Ellis said in a city news release.
Some of the sewer work took place more than 30 feet underground, making it among the deepest utility work in the highway project. Ellis said replacing those lines would have been impossible with traffic on the highway.
“Before highway construction began, our council decided to invest in updating the underground utilities, including the sewer under the highway,” Utilities Manager Murray Hulstein said. “It was a big decision, but we are really going to experience those benefits for years to come.”
Some of the sewer mains and service lines were original to Sioux Center and more than 100 years old. The old lines included clay, ductile iron, and Orangeburg pipe, which the city said was prone to failure as it aged. Modern plastic pipe replaced those materials.
“The old pipe had tree roots growing inside and grease lining,” Ellis said. “Now we have more capacity for water to go through.”
The city also added a new sewer force main near Walmart, with larger pumps and pipes to accommodate growth. That improvement allowed an aging lift station near 12th Street Southwest to be removed.
Ellis said the work is part of the city’s master plan to improve wastewater collection and reduce the equipment and manpower needed to handle large rainfall events. The city says those benefits are already being seen as construction continues on the final segment of Highway 75.
