When Evelyn Underwood noticed blockage in her sewer pipe this month, she was far from the first in her neighborhood to experience this problem. For years, she said, someone in Ellis Subdivision in Urbana seemingly had to have work done on pipes running to the city sewer every summer. 

Unlike newer subdivisions where sewer lines run down the middle of the street, equal distance from each house, the residents of this older neighborhood are subject to different prices to repair the old-fashioned clay tile pipes that run through the front and backyards of some houses.

Brad Bennett, senior civil engineer for Urbana Public Works, said it costs about $2,000 to $3,000 to replace the pipes for a house on the same side as a sewer main but between $5,000 to $8,000 for a house on the opposite side, such as Underwood’s home. 

These repairs are more expensive because more of the road will be torn up to get to the pipes as they are farther away from the sewer main, he said.

Underwood said that because she lives farther from the sewer main, she will have to pay an estimated $5,500 to replace the pipes.

“I’ll pay on my property. Gladly,” Underwood said. “But don’t talk about me paying to tear up (the city) streets or other people’s yards.”    

Because of the way the pipes were laid more than 50 years ago in her subdivision, Underwood and many other residents are asking the city to change the reimbursement policy. 

The current policy pays for 50 percent of the repairs on city property, up to $3,000. 

Residents are asking the city council to pay for construction between sidewalks or install a main that is equidistant to all homes. 

In 2007, the sewer tax was implemented to create the reimbursement program, Bennett said. 

“It seemed to make it fair,” he said. “It was an equity issue to decrease the amount (of money) so it would put it on par with those who had it in their front/back yards and didn’t have to pay as much.”  

Robert Lewis, Ward 3, said that although his background is in civil engineering, he is waiting to see what the city engineers say about the situation before he makes a decision about changes to the program. 

“It’s not rocket science to figure this out,” Lewis said. “It’s whether or not the city wants to spend the money. It’s about equal access.” 

Bill Gray, director of Urbana Public Works, and Bennett will give a presentation on city sewer information during the next Urbana City Council meeting Jan. 28. 

Gray said information will concern the current conditions of the sanitary sewer in Ellis Subdivision and the sewer repair reimbursement program currently in place. Following the presentation, council members will consider changes to the reimbursement program.

Corinne can be reached at [email protected].