Jamestown BPU employees are inspecting homes located in Sewer Shed 7 for sewer infiltration.

The project was one of several discussed by BPU officials during this month’s board meeting. Kris Sellstrom, deputy general manager, led the discussion.

“With the help of Barton and Loguidice, to date approximately 110 home inspections have been done with violations found in 20 to 30% of them,” Sellstrom said.

If homeowners do not schedule an appointment for an inspection after being notified that one is required, they will be fined a $50 monthly fee after they receive a second notice. Sellstrom said door tags are being issued as reminders leading up to that second notice.

Marie Carrubba, the community representative to the BPU board, asked what the expense to homeowners might be to fix issues if they are found by the BPU inspection. Sellstrom said repairs tend to be around a few hundred dollars. Much of the work is redirecting where the sewer goes to the side of the house and doesn’t involve many huge fixes. Right now, it was also noted that making corrections are not being enforced, with enforcement likely closer to summer. Sellstrom said that gives homeowners around five months after a notification to do something.

Carrubba asked if after the enforcement begins if the homeowner fails to correct the situation and the BPU goes back to inspect it if there could potentially be another fee. A plan has not been developed yet, but there is the possibility of another fee in that situation.

The Cassadaga Pump Station study is also continuing, with the project nearing 50% completion.

“The plan for that is to evaluate a new pump station, new transmission lines and other improvements,” Sellstrom said. “There will be a grant application process, leading up to a June submittal.”

Meetings have been held to look at the wastewater expansion analysis, which will analyse the current water expansion requests and impacts and benefits to the current system and customers.

Sellstrom also reported that the power plant team has had a successful winter season, with plans to transition to the spring maintenance outage at the beginning of April.

“In the meantime, work continues for boilers nine and ten with the department of labor inspections,” Sellstrom said. “We’re waiting on some additional parts that were not called out of the GE report, so hopefully those are coming soon and we can get that solved.”

The natural gas odorization project has been completed to odorize the BPU’s transition line. Sellstrom also briefly discussed an upcoming developer’s forum in April being put on by the BPU’s Ellen Ditonto. Ditonto reported someone has already registered for it and the hope is to have 30 developers come.

Work for the fiber project has started, and underground work along the Prendergast corridor is expected for late March. That project will eventually reach up to Sixth Street.