Portage marks completion of sanitary sewer project

When U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Portage officials cut the ribbon Tuesday for a newly completed project, the evidence of that work was nowhere in sight.

“There’s nothing flashy about it,” Corps of Engineers Col. Kenneth Rockwell said. He is commander of the Corps’ Chicago district.

But then, sewers belong underground. They should be unseen and not heard — nor smelled.

The $3.47 million project cleaned and relined 1,900 feet of the sanitary sewer interceptor — essentially an artery transporting waste from the south side of the city to the wastewater treatment plant — between Stone and Central avenues.

The city’s share — $916,166 — was 20% of the cost, Utilities Superintendent Tracie Marshall said.

“This project is a success story, and it reflects the kind of results we can achieve when federal, local and congressional partners work together toward a shared goal,” Rockwell said.

“The work here may be underground, but it’s what’s above and beyond that’s so impressive,” Rockwell said. It’s “a practical, high-impact improvement.”

“It’s clear that you’re focused on the long-term health and security of Portage,” Rockwell told Mayor Austin Bonta.

“This is how we build a stronger Northwest Indiana together,” Rockwell said of U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan’s efforts to secure funding for Northwest Indiana projects.

“Portage is open for business,” Mrvan, D-Highland, said. “It is a community that cares about its future,” including dry basements and good water intake. “You do that block by block,” he said.

“I look forward to building on this partnership to deliver results that improve the quality of life and create more economic activity in communities across Northwest Indiana,” Mrvan said. He noted that he sits on the Appropriations Committee, which oversees projects like this one.

Bonta said this project is evidence that Portage is “becoming a city that people can rely on.”

“It’s for your stability to live here in the city and count on your utilities,” he said.

With this second phase of the sewer interceptor relining complete, Marshall said the city is hoping for funding for the third and final phase.

She praised the Corps of Engineers, which oversaw the project designed by Commonwealth Engineers and executed by Grimmer Construction. “They keep track of everything. You really don’t have to worry about anything,” she said.

The project did have a few bumps along the way, including having to replace a branch pipe with holes after some residents complained of a sulfur smell. They were temporarily moved to a hotel, with help from Portage Township Trustee Brendan Clancy, until the branch line could be replaced, Marshall said.