Cleveland Water discusses paths forward in relation to Brunswick's recent water main breaks

BRUNSWICK — The city is looking for long-term solutions regarding its water mains. Cleveland Water Director of Public Utilities Martin Keane spoke to city officials about the recent water main breaks on state Route 303 and the potential solutions during the Brunswick Committee-of-the-Whole meeting Monday. Cleveland Water owns the city's water mains. "Within literally a quarter of a mile, we've had three breaks within a month and a half," Councilman-at-Large Joe Delsanter said. "Not only that, but those breaks are endemic of what happens literally every year in cyclical time frames." An analysis that seeks to determine the issues behind the recent water main breaks is in the works and is almost complete, Keane said. There are multiple potential reasons for water main breaks to happen cyclically, and Cleveland Water will provide a full report of the analysis to the city. One option is the suburban water main replacement program, he said, in which Cleveland Water awards funding for projects in the areas it serves. Suburban municipalities, through their engineering departments, submit streets for examination, Keane said. The examination is based on factors such as break rate, age, lead service connections and flow rate. Projects are selected for funding based on their score compared to the applications from other communities. "We will communicate immediately with you where it stands on all the other community submissions …" he said. "We'll let you know within the month." Submissions for the suburban water main replacement program closed recently, but because of the circumstances, Brunswick will be allowed to apply for state Route 303, Keane said. "Given that the break right now has escalated so much in the last three weeks, we have to assume that a section, depending on the analysis, will be eligible for funding this year," he said. The program is one avenue the city can take, Vice Mayor Nick Hanek said. Analysis could come back and show there is another solution to the city's water main breaks. "We're going to find a solution," he said. "We're going to approach it and fix it." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.