Emergency drain repair in Glen Meyer
Staff approves $97G pipe replacement
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Norfolk staff exercised its emergency purchasing authority recently following a complaint about a failing municipal drain in the west part of the county.
At issue is the downstream section of the F. R. Gregory Municipal Drain on the west side of Norfolk Road 23 near Glen Meyer.
“The F.R. Gregory Drain was enclosed with a 30-inch diameter corrugated steel pipe under an engineer’s report in 1970,” Norfolk drainage superintendent Bill Mayes said in an email.
“The steel pipe has corroded and is collapsing throughout the length, creating large holes across the farmland.”
The drain serves an area of about 543 acres representing 15 separate properties, most of them farms. The cost of the work will be apportioned to benefiting land owners. An engineer has recommended that the failing pipe be replaced with one 36 inches in diameter.
“The engineer’s report will identify the total cost of construction, engineering and administration and include an assessment schedule which will identify the portion of the cost assessable to each land and road within the watershed,” Mayes said.
Mayes’ “road” reference alludes to the fact that the repair work will improve the road allowance. That means Norfolk County will pick up a share of the project.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs received a request for an emergency designation under the Drainage Act May 28. Agriculture Minister Ernie Hardeman granted the application June 5.
“The significant failure in this section of the drain is a risk to public safety, to public property and to the surrounding agricultural land,” Norfolk purchasing agent Meaghan Vader said last week in a memo to Norfolk council.
“The property owner is unable to plant their crop due to the condition of the drain.”
Five contractors with the equipment and know-how were asked to provide quotes. Robert M. Simon Construction of Waterford has been awarded the job after providing a quote in the amount of $97,100.
The pipe replacement began June 17. The work is expected to take between two and three weeks.
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