CLEVELAND – Business owner Sam Awad and some Cleveland city leaders wonder how the Cleveland Division of Water is keeping up with the water line ruptures that have hit dozens of the more than 70 communities served by the utility in northeast Ohio.
Awad said he believes his business has been falling victim to the growing problems of Cleveland’s water infrastructure for more than 35 years. Awad said his Sam’s Food Mart on East 66th and St. Clair has now been vulnerable to constant basement flooding since a water pipe burst in February 2019 flooded his basement and caused extensive damage to his building foundations.
Awad said the city of Cleveland discovered even more damage to the aqueduct a few months ago when they tried to install a new sidewalk in front of his business. He said last week he even received a summons from construction and housing inspectors asking him to repair a foundation he believes was damaged by the water pipe break. Awad said the Cleveland Division of Water is not yet helping him with the situation.
“It’s a nice thing, I love this neighborhood, I love being with the public,” said Awad. “But that’s how it happened, two and a half years ago in February we broke the water pipe and it flooded my basement with dirt and water, it was up to 1.80 meters high. Then the city pulled up the sidewalk for the disabled and then it saw that they had no dirt here, they had a hole right there. “
“After the water pipe is broken, nothing is ever attached, the water comes from East 67, it comes from St. Clair, all the water flows into my basement,” said Awad. “Then the city quoted me on Friday, they said,” I have a short time to fix my foundation. How am I supposed to fix the foundation if we don’t even know what is going on under that foundation? That’s not my problem, it has nothing to do with me. “
News 5 contacted Awads councilor and mayoral candidate Basheer Jones about the situation. Jones said he was also awaiting a response from the Cleveland Division of Water and said he had concerns that more funding would be needed to tackle the water line ruptures that have affected more than a dozen communities so far in 2021.
“I contacted Cleveland Water about the situation at Sam’s Food Mart,” said Jones. “I sent e-mails, I got in touch, I made a phone call. I am grateful that you brought this to our attention, sometimes the media have to intervene. So not only the infrastructure is crumbling, but also our urban services and our processes and procedures. “
The Cleveland Division of Water was quick to respond to our story and promised to investigate the ongoing problems at Sam’s Food Mart.
The utility directed News 5 to its continuation Water infrastructure renewal plan on its website, a plan that aims to invest $ 700 million in capital over the next 10 years.
The Cleveland Division of Water reported:
Cleveland Water has awarded over $ 6 million for water pipe replacement projects to eight suburban utility communities. These awards are part of our $ 26 million annual capital investment in underground infrastructure.
Twice a year, in April and September, Cleveland Water awards grants for water pipeline projects in suburban cities with direct connections as part of the Suburban Water Main Renewal Program (SWMRP). The SWMRP provides a mechanism for suburban communities to have their water pipes replaced at no direct cost.
In 2007 Cleveland Water teamed up with the Suburban Water Council of Governments – the advisory body that provides water to the suburbs of Cleveland – to create the SWMRP. The aim of the program is to renew and replace the water infrastructure in suburbs with direct service in order to reduce water loss, lower maintenance costs and provide improved customer service. To date, over $ 170 million has been invested in over 720,000 feet of water in the 37 participating communities.
Ward 8 Cleveland Councilor Michael Polensek praised the efforts of Cleveland Water Commissioner Alex Margevicius, but said that without significant federal support it will be difficult to keep up with replacing Cleveland’s aging water system.
“You have to have enough staff, have the right equipment and be able to react quickly, especially in the event of a major interruption in the water supply,” said Polensek. “The system can’t take it, so you’ll have to rebuild the system.”
“This business owner isn’t the only one who has undermined his foundation or flooded his basement or disrupted his business. So we have to be proactive, ”said Polensek.
