Black Creek - Haddington Court Relief Sewers (11847)
As part of a long-term effort to reduce basement backups and sewer overflows, MSD Project Clear is designing a project to construct approximately 8,500 feet of wastewater pipe in City of Ladue. The project is estimated to begin construction as early as the Spring of 2023.
Public Meeting - December 16, 2020
Project Map
Why is this project being designed?
As part of their evaluation, our team of engineers determined that the sewer in this neighborhood is undersized and in need of repairs. During intense rainfall, the sewers become overloaded leading to basement backups and wastewater overflows into Black Creek.
What is the goal of this project?
MSD Project Clear is investing approximately $10 million to design and construct this project to increase the size of the existing sewer. This will reduce the likelihood of basement backups during heavy rainfall and prevent untreated wastewater from spilling into local waterways.
Project Facts
- Construction is estimated to begin as early as Spring 2023
- MSD Project Clear will replace approximately 8,500 feet of wastewater pipe
- The pipe size will increase to between 12 and 42-inches in diameter allowing a larger amount of wastewater to flow through the system.
- This project will remove three constructed overflows, which are points where untreated wastewater spills into Black Creek during heavy rain.
What can residents expect?
Though construction for this project is not estimated to begin until at least Spring of 2023, it is important to be prepared for what to expect. In the Spring of 2021, residents whose property will need to be accessed to construct the project will be contacted in order to obtain necessary easements.
At this time, MSD Project Clear anticipates the contractor will use two methods to construct the project. Most of the project will likely be constructed by digging through the surface of the ground in a process known as “open-cut” construction. In areas with utility conflicts, traffic control issues, or general access concerns, the contractor will likely use tunneling, which allows them to lay pipe with minimal disruption to the surface.
Traffic and Access: Because much of the construction will take place in the roadway, residents should expect lane closures and possible changes to traffic patterns.
The contractor will follow all local ordinances and will notify all properties of any temporary access restrictions. In areas where open-cut construction will be used, there will be periods when driveways may be inaccessible. The contractor will give all property owners ample notification prior to any access restrictions.
With any type of construction, residents can expect to see and hear heavy equipment and significant volumes of truck traffic during the sewer excavation process. The pictures above depict what a neighborhood will look like before, during, and after a typical project.
After all new sewer pipes are installed, the contractor will restore the construction site according to all local and District requirements. This could include sodding any disturbed areas, replacing disturbed pavement, reinstalling fences, etc.
At least one MSD Inspector will be on-site part of the day for every day the contractor is working.
What is the timeline?
This is the current tentative project schedule. This is subject to change based on a variety of factors including weather.
- Complete Project Design: Fall 2020
- Easement acquisition completion: Fall 2022
- Estimated construction start: Early as Spring 2023
- Estimated project duration: 24 to 30 months
FAQs
While MSD’s contractor is connecting a home’s lateral to the new wastewater sewer, they may ask residents to limit water use. In general, this process can take between two to five hours, depending on the complexity of the connection. The contractor will notify property owners in advance.
MSD does not anticipate other utility services being disrupted during this project. We will work with Missouri One Call to locate utilities before beginning construction. Occasionally, the contractor may run into utilities that were not located by Missouri One Call which could result in temporary utility disruptions. If this happens, MSD will work with the utility to restore service as quickly as possible.
In general, District policy is to restore affected areas to the same or better conditions than before the project. Streets that are disturbed through this project will be replaced and repaved with similar material. The project’s restoration will meet all local and District requirements.
During easement acquisition, an MSD Right of Way Agent will work with property owners to discuss restoration on their property. Most yard areas will be resodded with the same material. Driveways, walkways, and other hard surfaces will be restored using the same materials that are currently in place. In wooded ground areas, District policy is to seed the disturbed areas.
During active construction, some property owners may experience driveway access restrictions for a short period of time. The contractor will notify property owners in advance of any temporary access restrictions to allow them time to move their vehicles. The contractor will also fill trenches with gravel or place steel plates over trenches during non-working hours so residents can use their driveways during those times
MSD will instruct its contractor to keep the site reasonably clean and clear of debris. MSD will have an inspector on site every day during active construction. Prior to the start of construction, MSD will give every resident and property owner along the construction site the inspector’s contact information. Community members are encouraged to bring any concerns to the on-site inspector or any other member of the project team.
As this is a wastewater project, it’s intent is to address wastewater issues only. It will not affect any stormwater issues including overland flooding, which happens when water from the surface gets into a home from window wells, cracks in your foundation, or other entry points.
Further, this project will not affect flood plain designation. MSD does not have any authority over regulatory flood plains or their determination.
This project will help reduce basement backups (often referred to as “flooding”) which is when water overflows into a basement through a floor drain. This happens when more water gets into our wastewater sewers than the sewers can handle. Because MSD will be increasing the capacity of the wastewater system, this project will reduce the likelihood of basement backups.
After MSD awards a contractor to construct the project, the project team will reach out to community members to introduce them to the contractor and MSD’s construction management team. MSD will send a letter to all properties in the project area with contact information. Additionally, contact information for the construction team will be added to the project page on the MSD website.
Further, during construction, MSD will have an inspector on site every day during active construction. Community members are encouraged to bring their questions to the on-site inspector or any other member of the project team
MSD currently acquiring easements and plans to complete easement acquisitions in September of 2022. If residents or property owners have questions or concerns about how easements may affect their properties, they are encouraged to contact the Project Manager, Jared Barr, at jbarr@stlmsd.com or 314-335-2063.
Yes, MSD is currently constructing the Deer Creek Tunnel, a 4-mile long tunnel approximately 200 feet underground, in this vicinity. The Black Creek Haddington Court project will tie into the Deer Creek Tunnel when it is complete. Both these projects are part of MSD’s multi-billion-dollar generations-long effort to improve water quality throughout the St. Louis region.
Where MSD’s contractor will use the open cut construction method, trenches will be approximately 10 feet wide and will vary in depth from about 15 to 20 feet. The contractor will fill trenches with gravel or place steel plates over trenches during non-working hours so residents can use the street and access their driveways during those times. Further, as the contractor completes large segments of construction, they will repave those sections of streets or other disturbed surfaces.
FAQs section will be updated as questions are sent in to the Project Manager.
Documents
- Notification Letter – December 16, 2020, Public Meeting
- PowerPoint Presentation – December 16, 2020, Public Meeting
This section will be updated with additional documents as they become available.
Stay Informed
(Please mention the Project Number: 11847)
Jason Dennis, P.E, Burns & McDonnell
jmdennis@burnsmcd.com
314-336-6344
Jared Barr, P.E., CFM, MSD Project Manager
jbarr@stlmsd.com
314-335-2063