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A messy reminder of the job the city faces You can't argue with Mayor Bernie Hohman when he says a problem-free sewer system cannot be built. But as he and anyone else who has had any experience with Tiffin's sanitary and storm sewers can attest, it's a system that could be much, much better. When 2 to 4.3 inches of rain -- depending on what part of town -- fall on Tiffin is about an hour, there might be water problems for residents if the best of sewer networks were in place. But it isn't. There are combined sanitary-storm sewers in some places. There are undersized and deteriorating tiles in some areas. Based on the experience when the new Gibson Run sanitary sewer was built, there probably are homes and other building thought to be connected to the system that are not. Wednesday's rainstorm and resulting problems is a reminder of how important it will be for the city to follow the upcoming receipt of a new sewer study with a long-range plan of action aimed at correcting all the problems. The city is within a couple of months of the expected arrival of results of a comprehensive sewer study being done by engineering consultants. But a one property owner pointedly noted Wednesday, more than a study is needed to correct problems. She cited a 1974 study that was done to show what needed to be corrected, but said the problems remain today. Tiffin and its residents could not afford to upgrade all the inadequate sewers in a single project. But the current officials could develop a plan and timetable outlining how and when the system would be upgraded. Times and priorities might need to be changed by subsequent councils and administrations, but at least a framework of action would be in place. And it would be especially gratifying for residents to know that -- although there never could be a system that would guarantee every basement would stay dry after every storm -- the city was using one of its tax-paid studies to get something done.
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