Think last summer was a wakeup call to how bad our sewer system in Sioux Falls is? Think again. Last night I met with a city official, and it wasn’t even a topic that I wanted to ask them about, but they brought it up; our sewer system in some areas in town is in dire straits and something must be done, ASAP. They told me they are pushing hard to get repairs done (which are mostly just upgrading the system). As I told them, these things are not always glamorous, but needed.
In a time when we are talking about spending millions on planning an events center that hasn’t even been approved by voters yet, one wonders why we would ignore sewage infrastructure?
Simple, one is to bring shit into town, the other is to remove it…
People don’t think about the silent things that make life nice, like the waste water system. Sooner rather than later some of that pipe will need to come out to be replaced by larger capacity pipes. Nah, lets screw it and just build a shiny new event center.
A very little discussed topic on the Events Center is drainage. The Arena area doesn’t drain properly as it sits today. You pave over McCart or the residential neighborhood to the west and widen Russell and it will get that much worse.
Fixing the problem will add a shit-ton of $$$ to the project, whether we do it now or later.
Another consequence of the suburban development pattern so prevalent in Sioux Falls. Lower densities mean higher cost per capita to maintain basic infrastructure. We do not budget adequately to meet these needs.
If you want to read some good stuff about how modern zoning and land-use practices lead to a structurally broken infrastructure financing system, check out this blog: http://www.strongtowns.org/blog/
Oops. Link should be http://www.strongtowns.org/journal/
they brought it up; our sewer system in some areas in town is in dire straits and something must be done, ASAP.
I would bet one of those areas is a certain lift station at the bottom of Tuthill Park. It’s had leaks for years they can’t pinpoint. Same with a lift station south of where the river crosses 26th street.
Along with planning for this wonderful event center, the city is spending money just planning it. Talk about putting the horse before the cart.
The public works director (Mr. Cot-Tear) is overly involved with the phantom location events center. He’s neglected his real responsibility. You know, PUBLIC WORKS. Maybe he can help Smith (Public Parking) park cars and a real civil engineer can implement infrastructure modernization, expansion, and repairs. It’s going to be much easier to float bonds for public services than a facility for once a year when the circus comes to town.
The circus comes to town every Monday afternoon at 4 PM at Carnegie Hall.