- Choice Hardware asks City Council to
include it in sewer expansion
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SEWER MAP • Donald Ball points to area that is being looked at to be included in the City Master Plan for sewer expansion.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The question of whether or not a new sewer trunk line should be built to service businesses on the north of Nephi along Main Street has yet to be answered.
Daniel Peel, owner of Choice Hardware & Home Center LLC, 1005 North Main Street, Nephi, said he was hoping that the city would address the issue in the future.
"I'm just trying to get the issue addressed," Peel said. "I am asking the city if it could be budgeted into the plan."
Nephi City is in the process of developing the sewer system master plan.
At a recent public meeting, Ryan Jolley, P.E. representing Jones & DeMille Engineering, Richfield, presented an executive summary of the study done by the company, the contract engineers for the upgrading of the sewer system master plan.
The building, just north of Mt. Nebo Market in a business complex, was originally built as one long business by the Ludlow family as Nephi Lumber Company, Inc.
Now three business occupy that same space: Choice Hardware, All Around Dental Care and Movies Plus. Because of the way the building was constructed, all share a septic system and culinary water.
"I have been there for six years," said Peel.
He said he and Patti Kidd, owner of Movies Plus, would like to have sewer and would like water utilities separated.
"I would not think the water utility would be that big a problem to separate," said Mark Jones, mayor.
In 1996, Nephi City Council annexed the old sewer lagoons to the city so an industry could be constructed near the site. At the time, Robert Steele was mayor. The annexation incorporated everything north of 740 North.
Those areas serviced by the sewer system to the old lagoon site remained on the new system and used gravity to drain into the new lagoon system. Therefore, NRP was part of the sewer system but the market, Painter Motor and the hardware complex were not added.
"The property would not have even been inside the city limits in the early stages of planning," said Randy McKnight, city administrator.
The first city sewer system came to Nephi with the addition of Thermoid Western Company (now NRP) in 1947.
When the grocery store was built, it was determined that the building would be added to the sewer system, said McKnight. However, since it needed to tie into an already existing line that went in front of Harmon Tire Company, it needed to have a lift station.
"The property falls away and the line is somewhat shallow," said McKnight.
The pump used by Mt. Nebo Market is problematic functioning erratically.
McKnight said that the map indicates three colors of sewer line mains. The red line on the map, he said, represents line that is already functioning. Green lines are speculative.
The main line coming along Main Street and heading north is a green line.
Hunter's Meadow connected to the main sewer line and connects into the line serving NRP and heads west. The restaurant located on the east side, near Hunter's Meadow, opted to connect when the subdivision was added.
The industrial park was added to the line traveling north to connect and then heading west.
From the area where Salt Creek signs is located and then north, some variations in elevation can be seen, he said. Some of the sewer line being discussed would go against the grade and is being studied.
"Every structure has a private lateral line that leads to the main line," said McKnight. "The lateral would be private and would be installed at the expense of the property owner until it got to the existing main line."
If Peel were to connect to a main sewer line at this point, he would need to cut through property to the south NRP fence line and the project would require an easement.
"The complex I am located in was constructed at the time the grocery store was built," said Peel. "Was an offer made for our businesses to connect at that time?"
"A lift station is a pain in the neck but it does give an option," said McKnight.
Brent Bowles, council member, said it was obvious that there was going to continue to be a great deal of growth toward the north of the community. For that reason, it would be good to address the question of whether a main could be built north along Main Street.
It was a good idea to address such questions during the general plan development process, said McKnight. Such questions as when, how and who would pay for such a project needed to be addressed. In addition, how would the sewer be engineered to do the job.
"I would just like you to consider the project," said Peel. "I do not like to say that it could be done over time, because I would like it to happen soon, but, realistically speaking, I would just like the topic to be discussed for the future."
Donald Ball, citizen, pointed to the map McKnight had posted on the wall for consideration and asked for orientation in order to make identification of some points on the map.
Ball also asked if traffic would be affected by construction of a sewer line in that area.
"Would it obstruct traffic flow?" he asked.
There is no pavement on the side of the road along the route, and, therefore, there should not be a problem.
"When should I return to find out what you are planning?" asked Peel.
The general plan still has several month's worth of work and the council will need to see that through in order to make some decisions which must be based on the findings of the consultants.
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