WARSAW — News of a large oil dump into the city’s sanitary sewer system was heard during the Warsaw Board of Works meeting held yesterday, June 18.

Brian Davison, utility manager, informed the board that a subcontractor was lining manholes on East Winona Avenue and discovered a substance in a line. City employees started to clean the line and quickly discovered that the substance was automotive oil, which contaminated the city’s equipment. The oil stretched from a building, through two structures and to the city’s line.

There will be some expenses forthcoming due to the large oil dump. The city has hired a company to come clean the lines and dispose of the oil.

James Emans, city engineer, explained that it would take up to three weeks to get the line cleaned and up to six weeks to figure out who exactly is responsible for the problem.

It was noted that the suspected business was automotive, which by state code are required to have an oil water separator. The suspected business, which was not named, did not have one. The city instructed the business to halt all automotive work until an oil water separator was installed. It was noted that the business was a rental properties and any further action taken with the renters was a result of the property owners.

“We’re working with the owner,” said Emans. “That was the only action the city took against the actual renters, you can’t do business until you or your landlord can show us an oil separator.”

It was noted that motor oils spills are expensive and that they have the potential to pass through the plant and end up in the Tippecanoe River.

Two bids were opened for the second phase of the Eisenhower Basin project. Selge Construction, Niles, Mich. provided a bid of $235,933.02 and G & G Hauling & Excavating, Warsaw, provided a bid of $192,988. The bids were taken under advisement and will be awarded at a later meeting.

In other news:

• Warsaw Mayor Joseph Thallemer was absent. Board Member Jeff Grose led the meeting.
• Warsaw-Wayne Fire Department was approved to accept a $1,000 grant from Norfolk Southern for Family Safety Day. The department was also approved for pay application #9 to Mosaic Building Solutions.
• A change order was approved for the Husky Trail project. The project was reduced by $22,126.02 due to the reduced amount of stone needed for curb work.
• The Wastewater Department was approved for four different pay applications. The first pay application was to Selge Construction for the Buffalo Street reconstruction, the second was to Wessler Engineering for additional engineering work and project oversight, the third was Layne Inliner for sewer rehabilitation work and the final was to Selge Construction for the sewer replacement project.