Q&A: Clayton's City Engineer Talks Sewer Work

Last week, Clayton City Engineer John Wulf got a call from a resident who wanted more details about sewer work happening on North Central Avenue.

Wulf put in a call to the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD). In an interview, Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch asked Wulf to discuss how the city and MSD work together and how residents can learn more about sewer projects happening in their area.

How much control does Clayton have over MSD projects happening within city limits?
MSD was established by the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County voters. They established a separate quasi-governmental entity. They're not quite a private entity such as Laclede Gas Company or Missouri American Water. They have their own board and their own funding with no links or ties to municipalities.

What is MSD's role in a city such as Clayton?
They're charged with maintenance and providing convenience of treatment, sanitary sewage, handling storm water issues. They have their own procedures, including communications with the residents. If you live within that area, you pay a fee to them for the services they provide.

How does Clayton communicate with utilities such as MSD?
When we do capital-improvement projects such as a roadway resurfacing, we communicate with all utilities in advance of that project. We give them a three-year outlook about what projects may happen during that time. The goal is to get them to coordinate the funding for their major improvements, main lines, etcetera, so that they can get that work done before the resurfacing.

If they come in before our project begins, we don't charge them a degradation fee for cutting into the pavement. The city will charge a fee if the utility has to cut into the pavement after it has been resurfaced, and the newer the resurfacing, the more costly the fee. There's sort of an incentive for them to work with us.

Is it more efficient for residents to contact the city or MSD with questions about a sewer project?
MSD. For the city to become involved, really we become a middle man. We do get a lot of calls from our residents about utility questions, and if the utility has pulled a permit to do work in the right-of-way, then we can talk to them about the project.

When must a utility such as MSD get a permit from Clayton?
If the project will disrupt a travel lane for traffic or require digging in the right-of-way, a permit is necessary. If it's happening in a parking lane, won't affect through traffic or involves something like opening up and entering a manhole, a permit isn't needed.

We require the work permit in those cases to make sure the utility is providing proper traffic control. If drivers won't be able to get around the site, we are looking to see that the utility has made provisions for a proper detour.

How long does the permitting process take?
We generally try to turn around a permit request in 48 hours. It depends on the volume of applications. We'll make turnaround quickly if it's an emergency such as a gas leak.