City of Polson tackles sewer back up

By BRETT BERNTSEN

Daily Inter Lake

Sewage surged out of manholes and spilled across sections of 12th Avenue East in Polson on Tuesday, after debris became trapped in water lines.

City Manager Mark Shrives said a root wad likely broke loose and clogged underground pipes. He said crews had the blocked line cleared by early afternoon.

Neighborhood resident Cheryl Cross, who lives near the intersection of 12th Avenue East and 5th Street East, said the incident flooded her bathroom and left toilet paper and sewage strewn across her yard. She said that it’s not the first time the problem has occurred, noting that sewage seems to flood her street once a year.

“Dogs get into it,” she said. “Kids ride their bikes through it.”

Shrives said it’s hard to prevent drain clogs, especially in older neighborhoods which often have plumbing that dates to the mid-1900s. He said residents will errantly flush rags or diapers down the drain, and plants can grow through holes and separations in pipes.

“You never know,” he said. “You could have done maintenance yesterday, but could have a backup today.”

The city recently replaced three blocks of sewer lines along 4th Avenue East due to such problems. He said tackling additional projects hinges on time and money.

Shrives said that citizens who experience damage from sewage backups are encouraged to file a claim with their homeowners insurance company. Residents can also file a claim with the city, which then passes it on to its insurance company.

“At that point it’s pretty much out of our hands,” he said.