Staff: inspection flagged CSO and infiltration issues; sewer‑use ordinance update planned

Staff for the Tipton Utility Service Board reported May 18 that an inspection report received in late April took exception to the utility's combined‑sewer overflow (CSO) and infiltration status, and staff said a board resolution to update the sewer‑use ordinance is expected to be brought before the board in June for subsequent referral to city council.

The staff member told the board an inspection and two‑page letter from IBM flagged CSO and infiltration concerns and that, in their view, the letter appeared broader than usual. "I shared with the board an inspection report we received from IBM ... they took exception to where we were at with our CSO and our infiltration and, status," the staff member said. The staff member added that some violations described can be corrected and that the utility plans to respond with context about recent investments.

Staff said the city has invested about $20,000,000 in CSO work and that they and Mayor Max Smith would emphasize those improvements in their reply. The staff member also said engineers with Strand (including Matt Smith) are working to align the utility's sewer‑use ordinance with what the transcript refers to as "IDEN" and the utility's current sewer‑use standards; staff expects to present a resolution updating the ordinance to the board in June and then to city council.

The board did not take formal regulatory action at the meeting; staff described the inspection and outlined next steps. The staff member also provided brief project updates on a delayed water line for ball fields, a connection at 19 Main Street and contractor activity at Campbell Crossing for a new Speedway.