By Michael Peters A new project to upgrade the sewer system in Lomond/Sussex uses green infrastructure methods, providing benefits to residents and the environment alike. One of the enduring legacies of the planning that went into Shaker Heights is the canopy of thousands of mature trees. That planning also included the parks, streets, and – underneath the streets – the water and sewer lines. An infrastructure project in the Lomond and Sussex neighborhoods is piloting a new approach to how we think about what’s both above and below our streets. Just as homeowners need to upgrade their old pipes, the City is responsible for doing the same with the sewers that were installed in most parts of the City in the 1910s. As Director of Public Works Patricia Speese explains, those original sewers were designed to last for roughly 50 years. Public Works has an ongoing program to repair, renovate, and in some places upgrade this critical infrastructure. In the past decade, the City has spent approximately $9 million on sewer maintenance and repair. “The quality of workmanship in the original sewer infrastructure is second to none,” notes Speese. “But like our Shaker homes, this infrastructure is more than 100 years old and needs attention. This is why we are working systematically through the City to perform these improvements.” The heavier rainfall the City has experienced in the last decade, combined with the age of many of the sewers, has led to periodic flooding in some areas. This has resulted in two significant issues: the impact on residents and their homes, and the more frequent discharges of untreated waste into the environment as the sewers overflow. The Lomond/ Sussex sewer replacement project aims to address both of these issues while also protecting the neighborhood trees that absorb a significant amount of rainfall. 58 SUMMER 2022 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
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