A sewer line running under North Detroit Street (SR 15) at Enterprise Drive in Warsaw has nearly collapsed and is need of immediate repairs that will cost the city over $63,000.

The Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety this morning declared the matter an emergency, which means the usual bidding process does not need to be followed.

Brian Davison, utility manager of the Warsaw Wastewater Management department, explained that an 8-inch pipe running under North Detroit Street has collapsed down to about 3 inches. “We have no idea why it’s smashed,” said Davison. “Why it hasn’t broke yet, I don’t know.”

The sewer pipe running under Detroit Street services the businesses along Enterprise Drive including the strip mall where Buffalo Wild Wings is. The sewer line is enclosed in a metal casing for an unknown reason that casing failed approximately 73 feet, which is directly under the street.

Davison explained that he contacted G&G Hauling & Excavating in Warsaw and Phend & Brown in Milford to both give quotes on the repair project. G&G Hauling, which will perform a bore and jack repair method, submitted a bid for $55,890.10. With bonding costs and establishing temporary drive access along Enterprise Drive, the final cost approved by the B.O.W. was $63,928.10.

Davison noted that Enterprise Drive will be accessible during the repair process, although there will be some restrictions. Repair work, which will likely begin Wednesday or Thursday of next week, is not anticipated to affect traffic on Detroit Street.