Currently Underway

This project is for the installation of a retaining wall adjacent to an alley that intersects College Street.  The alley has been undermined.  To repair this the city will need to install a 30 foot retaining wall to stabilize the fore slope.  The second phase is to install a vertical curb on College Street.  Currently all the water runs behind the curb causing erosion.  Contractor for this project is Southern Iowa Mechanical with a low bid amount of $9,816.00.  The project will be paid from the street maintenance fund.

This project consisted of full depth PCC patch with HMA overlay, some curb and gutter repair and some catch basin repair. Funding consisted of 80% STP funds and 20% CIP. Contractor for the project was Norris Asphalt Paving Company of Ottumwa, Iowa.

The City of Ottumwa has a combined storm and sanitary sewer system.  This means that stormwater runoff and household sewage are collected and transported through the same pipe.  When the system was constructed years ago, this is how the sewer systems were commonly built.  The problem is when the system is overloaded, like during a heavy rain, the sewer (both sanitary and stormwater) overflows directly into the Des Moines River.  These discharges are called Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s).  The combined sewers also cause raw sewage to “backup” in basements. 

This system does not meet current environmental regulatory standards and the City of Ottumwa is now required by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to develop a sewer separation plan.  Eliminating the CSO’s will ensure clean water for future generations and also help to eliminate raw sewage backups in basements. 

The City of Ottumwa is actively working on the process of separating its sewer system.  A study phase was completed in 2003 that investigated the sewer system to find deficiencies.  The first step was to separate the worst part of the system located south of the Des Moines River.  The first phase will eliminate four of nine CSO’s and 65% of household sewer backup locations.

Phase I

This project covers the separation of sewers through the construction of a new storm sewer and various sanitary sewer improvements in the area generally bounded by Church Street, Finley Avenue, Madison Avenue and Ransom Street.

Phase II

A continuation of the sewer separation project will be in the area generally bounded by Vine Street, Ward Street, Madison Avenue and Mary Street. 

A public meeting was held on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at Bridge View Center, 102 Church Street with over 29 in attendance.  The total project was presented and questions answered. 

The purpose of the Public Hearing was to inform area residents and other interested persons of the proposed project design, anticipated project costs and impacts on user fees, adopt plans and specifications and to review the environmental assessment of the project.  Citizens concerns with the project, if any, were addressed.  Contractor for this project is Van Hauen & Associates, Inc., of Clive, Iowa.  Veenstra & Kimm, Inc., is the general engineer for the project.

This project consists of hot mix asphalt (HMA) surfaces on top of a section of the Des Moines River levee from Market Street down river to Vine Street. Future plans include extending the pavement from Vine Street to the Gray Eagle Preserve. The Des Moines River levee system in Ottumwa has been designated as a bicycle/pedestrian trail for a number of years. There has been a lot of discussion about paving the levees to make them more accessible to hikers/joggers and cyclists. The last section of levee that was paved is from Market Street to Quincy Avenue. It has been highly used and very popular with the local community.