Flume damage to cost city less than expected

Costs for the repair of Shelbyville's underground storm water flume were lower than anticipated, according to the final figures from the city.

Meanwhile, officials are still waiting for an engineering report that could point to the cause of the underground collapse.

Final figures on the project total $440,563.86, but whoever ends up paying for the repair will be out $364,455.26.

Total costs from Clanton Excavating, the firm hired to dig out the damaged flume, were $133,482. The company that installed the new flume, Contech, billed the city a total of $278,451. Labor and material costs to the city of Shelbyville added up to $28,630.

The estimate that the city gave when the extent of the damage was revealed was in the neighborhood of $500,000.

According to city manager Ed Craig, officials "had no idea how much it would cost."

Craig said the figure was less than anticipated due to the city getting the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to pay $71,105 toward the repair.

There was also $5,003 taken out of the costs for "salvage," according to the city's figures, resulting in the final total of $364,455.

Report stalled

Craig said the city has yet to receive the final engineering report from Contech, but will have it in hand "hopefully soon."

He said the city has been in discussion with Contech concerning "payment over some of these issues and they have held back the report and we have held back money."

However, Craig said they think that a resolution has been reached on the money issue with Contech, so the city should getting the report shortly.

When the report is received, it will be taken to the city council and city attorney Ginger Shofner so they can determine the city's next course of action.

Craig also said he "expects there will be discussions with Shelbyville Power."

On June 5, workers discovered that an old sewer line, which was recently replaced by contractors for Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer, was still open, which could have caused storm water runoff to enter the area surrounding the flume.

The underground flume collapsed after a total of 10 inches of rain fell in early May.

Engineers have speculated that water entered underneath the flume where sewer work was done by contractors working with Shelbyville Power last year.

When the heavy rains fell, swirling supposedly occurred around the flume and washed away material from the bottom corners of the pipe, which was described as the weakest point of the flume.

With all of the other pressure on the pipe, the water underneath it caused the flume to buckle upwards, it has been speculated. The 200 feet of damage extended between North Brittain Street to the middle of North Main Street.