Columbia Borough Council has approved a $5,200 project to locate and televise storm sewer facilities along Mill, Fourth, and Manor Streets, in preparation for a large-scale water main installation project planned by Lancaster City in those areas.
At Tuesday's meeting, council voted to hire Utility Services Group, Inc. (USG), a Camp Hill-based contractor specializing in underground infrastructure rehabilitation to carry out the inspection.
Derek Rinaldo, borough engineer, told council, "Not only are you providing protection, providing a baseline, but it's a really good time to get a conditions assessment."
Approximate size of a 42-inch diameter pipeline compared to a six-foot man [AI image]
As Columbia Spy reported previously, the 42-inch diameter line will sit in an 8-foot deep, 8-foot wide trench during construction, which will proceed at a rate of 50 to 100 feet per day. The impact on Manor Street could last up to six months.
The pipeline's underground path will begin at a pumping station along the Susquehanna River, under the railroad tracks, then under Front Street, up Mill Street, over South 4th Street, and up Manor Street to the water treatment plant at the bottom of South 15th Street. The line will occasionally zigzag to accommodate existing utilities.
The line will continue via a 28,200-linear-foot finished water main paralleling existing infrastructure through West Hempfield Township and Mountville Borough towards the Oyster Point Reservoir on the western side of Lancaster.
According to a borough executive brief, Lancaster City's proposed water main work could affect storm sewer infrastructure that Columbia Borough owns within the project limits, depending on how deep the new water lines are installed. To protect the borough's interests, officials want a baseline assessment of the storm sewer system's current condition before construction begins.
That baseline would give the borough documented evidence of the pipes' condition, which could prove important if the storm sewer system is damaged during the water main work. Having a "before" record would strengthen the borough's position in negotiating repairs with Lancaster City if damage occurs.
According to the proposal terms, USG will document pipe integrity, system conditions, and any notable issues, and deliver the results via a shared drive. The company's terms note some limitations: because the extent of the underground system isn't fully known, USG cannot guarantee complete inspection coverage, and the borough is responsible for directing crews to work sites and ensuring manholes and structures are accessible and clear of debris, snow, or brush. The proposal also excludes items such as pipe cleaning or jetting, offroad CCTV work, repairs, resident notifications, and traffic control.
The executive brief lists no net fiscal impact across operating expenses, capital expenses, liquid fuels funding, or external revenue sources over the next five years (2026–2030).
Construction was originally scheduled to begin in February 2026 and conclude in March 2027, but an updated timeline estimates the project will be completed by September 30, 2027. Currently, no specifics have been announced on when the Columbia portion of the project will begin.
[Sources: LNP, Columbia Spy, Columbia Borough, files.dep.state.pa.us]
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