Harvey taps Anchor Heavy Civil to repair water main and replace flow meters

The Harvey City Council approved two measures with Anchor Heavy Civil to replace flow meters and repair an aging water main on Sept. .

The city advertised bids to replace the flow meters and secured services with Anchor Heavy Civil, a Chicagoland-based contractor that specializes in water, sewer, and underground utility constructions. The cost for the new meters and installation is $49,850.

Two of the five flow meters at O’Connor Pumping Station on Page Ave. have failed, said interim city administrator Crystal Richardson, and the remaining three are at the end of their life. 

Richardson explained that the meters typically last 20 to 30 years and lose precision over time, so they need to be replaced to ensure consistent and accurate water flow and data recording. The replacements will also alert staff of flow inconsistencies, high usage, and potential underground leaks.

“Repairing leaks quickly prevents the city from losing not only thousands of gallons of water, but also minimizing the financial stress associated with these leaks,” Richardson said. “Replacing the equipment now prevents any potential breakdowns that could disrupt station functionality, which could lead to costly emergency replacements in the future.”

Anchor Heavy Civil will also be repairing a water main break located near 151st St. and Morgan Ave. The main break has cost the city $5,000 a month in excess water, according to acting mayor Shirley Drewenski. Richardson said the main has been leaking for 12 years and repaired 14 times, and due to the excessive repairs, a 660-foot section of the main has to be replaced. 

The project will cost $159,850 and take place in sections to minimize disruptions for residents. Drewenski said the city sought grant dollars to pay for the project but decided to finance the project out of pocket without taking on loans. 

“We are paying it ourselves, and we are going to reduce our water bill by $5,000 a month at a minimum,” Drewenski said.

Sewage overruns residents’ home

During public comment, resident Juan Carlos Ocampo said his family delivered a demand letter on Aug. 24 regarding nearly 20 years of barricades and sewer failures on his block. He said the road closures hinder emergency vehicle access through his parents’ street.

“Following a recent storm, my parents were literally standing knee-deep in road municipal sewage in their own basement,” he said. As a result, they had to break the concrete slab and excavate to prevent the home from being submerged in raw sewage. “Today, they live in an open trench, contaminated soil, an overwhelming rotten odor, and severe infestation,” Ocampo said. “There’s flies, there’s mosquitoes, their boiler is destroyed…their washing machine and dryer.”

Ocampo asked city officials to prioritize funds to rebuild 157th St., reopen the road, inspect his parents’ home, and establish a municipal institutional claims process to reimburse his family for the damage.

Glaring financial rifts

The council approved the annual audit for April 30, 2023 and an appropriation ordinance for fiscal year 2027.

During aldermanic comment, Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) said she voted against both because for years, the city has received “qualified audit opinions” that included concerns about missing financial information and documentation that were either not provided or couldn’t be sufficiently verified.  “At some point, we have to address why these issues continue from one audit period to another,” Chapman said. “As we authorize millions of dollars in spending, we need stronger accounting measures, internal controls, documentation, and regular financial reporting to this council.”

Correcting zoning for increased taxes

The council approved a zoning amendment and special-use permit for 16030 Park Ave. by Park Trucks LLC/Two Brothers Freight Inc., as recommended by the planning and zoning commission.

Harvey Cement Products Inc. operated on the site for light manufacturing. However, 33 out of 45 pins on the site were zoned as residential and were taxed as such, meaning the city missed commercial tax revenue. The amendment updates the pins to light manufacturing and grants a special-use permit for the incoming trucking company.

Council members debated tabling the vote until a class 6B property tax incentive — reducing an underused or distressed commercial property’s assessed value, thus lowering the tax liability and incentivizing redevelopment — could be discussed, but the motion was rejected.