ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — Rocky River residents are preparing to potentially shell out thousands of dollars out of their own pockets as the city breaks ground on a multi-million-dollar sewer replacement project.
This fall, Buckingham Road, Argyle Oval, and Arundel Road are all set to have their sewer pipes replaced. Officials say the project is a necessity to reduce inflow and infiltration.
"We can no longer have sanitary go into your storm system," City Director of Public Safety-Service Rich Snyder told 3News, "so it's very important not only environmentally, but also fiscally."
The project is partially funded by a federal grant, and aims to replace old sewage pipes throughout the city.
“By doing this project — separating our sewers, making these improvements — we are able to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows," Snyder said.
The city says it will take responsibility for replacing equipment on its own property. However, defects on any private property will mean homeowners will be responsible for paying.
The project has some Rocky River residents concerned about their bottom line.
"We had no idea that it was going to be this amount," Mitch Bihuniak claimed. "They said, 'Well, it could be a couple of hundred bucks or it could be upwards of $10,000-$15,000.'"
Bihuniak says he attended the public hearing with the city back in April, hoping leaders would offer a compromise to potential costs. He tells us they offered no solid answer.
"Frustration is them not coming up with creative solutions to help offset this," Bihuniak added.
The project is expected to last until late 2025.