BANGOR, Maine — A leaky sewer main near city hall recently allowed diluted sewage to seep through an exterior retaining wall outside the public building.
Workers on Friday were in the process of replacing a section of the brick-lined sewer main on Park Street. Cost of the project is expected to be $110,000, according to a city memorandum issued this week.
City officials discovered the leak during a recent rainstorm, according to the memo.
No sewage entered the public building, according to City Manager Cathy Conlow, who said the seepage was highly diluted because of the rain.
Despite an initial repair attempt, an inspection of the sewer line showed that mortar between bricks had deteriorated and that leaching was still occurring, according to the city memorandum.
As a result, the city is replacing a 450-foot section of the line that runs under Park Street behind city hall.
Conlow said Friday that money for the repair is coming from a $500,000 line item in the city’s sewer budget that is set aside to cover unexpected repairs.
Eastwood Contractors of Brewer was working at the site Friday morning. One lane of Park Street has been closed as a result.
It was not immediately clear when the repair will be completed. The repair work will not require city council approval, according to Conlow.
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