Water, wipes keep city on toes

City Superintendent Mark Brown had a few tales to tell Holyoke City Council members at their March 2 meeting.

He reported that Lennie Fisbeck, head of the water department, noticed one of the city’s wells running excessively and for longer durations Monday morning, Feb. 22, which typically happens if a water main breaks.

Brown and Fisbeck drove around Holyoke several times to try to find the cause. Brown received a call from a resident in the early morning of Wednesday, Feb. 24, and was told water was coming out of the vents in the basement of the old hospital.

Brown said they shut down the water main, and they estimated there could have been between 800,000 and 900,000 gallons of water in the basement, based on its size.

“To put it in perspective, our water tower’s 150,000,” he pointed out to council members.

They stopped the power to the building and notified the owners immediately. The water has since been pumped out of the building.

Brown said there are several possibilities regarding the cause, which is currently unknown.

Flushed disposable wipes a major problem for city

With the cooperative weather, water and sewer crews have started rodding sewers, and an ongoing issue continues to rear its stinky head.

“And again, the amount of disposable wipes in the sewer lines is unreal,” Brown said. “I mean, we’re talking 5-gallon buckets. I don’t know how we get it across to the public.”

He added that the amount of wipes that crews have pulled out already is scary and that if people continue to flush things down their toilets that should not be flushed, then extra people could potentially have to be hired just to keep up with rodding. Additionally, possible modifications to the sewer system would carry a huge price tag.

This problem is not new. In 2018, a letter was sent to every household on the municipal sewer system in an attempt to educate the public on what should and should not be flushed.

In the past, notices in the Enterprise, on the radio and on Facebook have also urged residents to stop flushing disposable wipes and other problematic items.

Balloons cause power outage

About one-third of Holyoke lost power at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22.

Mylar balloons got tangled in a power line in the 800 block of South Bowman Avenue. They took out one fuse at Sherman Avenue and Johnson Street and another in the 500 block of West Emerson Street. The power was restored after about 40 minutes.

Council hears reports

Brown told the council that the coin operated water fill station in the 100 block of North Baxter Avenue is out of service.

The timer that it used for the last 30 years burned out, and while an exact replacement is unavailable, Brown said after the meeting that a replacement timer that closely resembles the original has been ordered.

Snowmelt has been causing some blockages and minor backups at the outlet on East Furry Street where it meets the creek. City personnel have cleared the debris, and it is now flowing smoothly.

Brown reported that with the nice weather, street crews have gotten the street sweeper out. He then discussed plans for a large pothole in the alley behind the post office.

He suggested eventually tearing up the alley and replacing it with concrete, but until then, the plan is to continue to fill it with ground-up asphalt to prevent damage to vehicles.

Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that Holyoke Police Department handled or generated 88 calls for service from Feb. 12-March 1, including two animal complaints and three municipal code violations under code enforcement.

Bergstrom also informed the council that HPD received new computers Monday, March 1, and that they were working to get them up and running.

Other business

In other business at the March 2 meeting, council members:

— Agreed to sponsor Holyoke School District’s annual Emerald Awards program with council member John Schneider volunteering to serve on the selection committee.

— Renewed health and dental insurance with CEBT, which is the company the city has used since 1999.

— Renewed liquor licenses and waived local fees for Holyoke Golf Club, The Skillet and  Cobblestone Inn & Suites.

— Held a 38-minute executive session immediately before adjournment for the purpose of determining positions relative to matters that may be subject to negotiations.