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NILES -- A more permanent fix for orange and brown water in some city neighborhoods seems to be doing the trick.
Joe Lewis of Difford Drive said the permanent automatic flusher designed to keep water circulating at his dead end road is better than the temporary fix, which was a fire hose connected to a fire hydrant running constantly and flooding his yard and the street.
Since the permanent flusher was installed last week, Lewis said he hasn't seen any orange water, but he is monitoring his water filter for discoloration.
Because the permanent flushers are on a timer and don't require water to run constantly, Lewis said his yard and the street haven't been continually flooded. Because of the amount of rain lately, Lewis said his lawn hasn't dried up and the real test will be in the spring.
Lewis said his home isn't the only one on his street that has had discolored water, so he will be staying in touch with his neighbors to see how the fix is working for them.
Lewis brought a discolored water filter to a Niles City Council meeting last year when the orange water kept recurring. He said his interaction with city officials on the matter has been good.
"The city has been working with me, not just me, my neighbors too. The solutions have been a hit-and-miss thing for some of us, but it is being addressed. I wish it was quicker, but that is how the wheels turn," Lewis said.
The city paid about $10,000 for three of the permanent flushers, and paid $7,500 to Lee's Excavating in Brookfield for installation. The other two were installed on Nebraska Avenue and Carnegie Avenue, which are other chronic orange water areas in the city, said Andy Catanzarite, the Niles water and sewer superintendent.
The flushers are buried underground and tap into the waterline. They go off on a timer and the water drains into the storm sewer.
The flushers also pull the water out with more velocity than the hose setup, which makes sediments less likely to remain stagnant in the line and doesn't require the water to run constantly, Catanzarite said.
Safety Service Director Jim DePasquale said an even more permanent solution is on the way that won't require the city to flush perfectly good water into the sewer drain.
The city was approved for a $280,000 grant to loop the lines on Difford Drive, Carnegie Avenue and Nebraska Avenue. Connecting the lines should eliminate areas where water sits and stagnates. The water department will be on the hook for 25 percent of the cost, and the funds won't be available for several months, but it will be well worth it, DePasquale said.
Once the lines are looped and are no longer at dead ends, the circulation problems should end, DePasquale said.
The city also got a $300,000 grant with a 25 percent match to replace the line on Summerberry Lane, which is another problem area for line breaks and orange water.