Pittsburgh Water to repair water and sewer mains in Hazelwood starting this month | The Homepage

Also: Nonprofit works to make college easier for single parents through housing program on Hazelwood Green

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By Managing Editor Juliet Martinez

Attendance was sparse at the Sept. 8 Greater Hazelwood monthly community meeting. The weather was hot, and the air conditioning was out of order in the second-floor classroom at 107 Flowers Ave. Some participants left early. But those who were there for all or part of the meeting learned about the Pittsburgh Scholar House residential program and voiced their questions and concerns to the presenters from Pittsburgh Water.

Water and sewer main repair

Holly Bomba is a community relations manager at Pittsburgh Water. She talked about the upcoming sewer and water main repair projects that will start in Hazelwood this month.

Pittsburgh’s sewer system was built in 1840. The sewer mains were built out of terra cotta, brick and even wood. The materials are decades past their useful life and maintenance on the system is long overdue, Ms. Bomba said. She showed photos of sewer lines that are partially collapsed, degraded, and have tree roots growing into them.

So, in the coming months, the water authority will be repairing them. In Hazelwood, Pittsburgh Water will install 15 new manholes and catch basins, raise 25 manholes to the level of the street and install 11,000 feet of sewer lining. This will cost about $3.1 million. The work is expected to wrap up in about a year, Ms. Bomba said.

The water authority will also be replacing water mains in Hazelwood over the coming year. These are made from steel or iron and are over 80 years old. See the sidebar at right for details.

A meeting participant reported that there is a sinkhole at Gertrude Street and Johnston Avenue. Ms. Bomba said broken water and sewer mains cause sinkholes. “We are trying to fix both,” she said.

The sewer repair will use a process called sewer lining. This involves placing an epoxy tube into the existing sewer pipe and allowing it to harden. The epoxy tube generally lasts 50 years without needing maintenance.

The water authority will be placing door hangers on the blocks where work will happen. Residents will get a door hanger one week before work starts. Another door hanger will notify them one day before it starts. Ms. Bomba said the “no parking” signs they will post come from the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure and will encompass the time for the whole permit, even though each block only takes one day to repair. Residents at the meeting complained that this makes the repairs more inconvenient.

Sewer lining is cheaper, faster and less disruptive than tearing up the street to completely replace sewer lines. But the process does carry some inconveniences, Ms. Bomba explained. One of the chemicals in the epoxy tubing is called styrene. This chemical is generally considered safe at low concentrations such as what people might be exposed to while their sewer is getting lined.

Still, the smell is unpleasant. Some people may be sensitive to it and get headaches, nausea or fatigue even at very low concentrations. To prevent styrene smells in the home, Ms. Bomba recommended closing windows, making sure all plumbing drains have plenty of water, covering open drains with a wet cloth and running the bathroom fan. If you still smell the odor, open your windows and air out your home. You may wish to spend the day elsewhere while work is happening on your street, she said.

If the styrene smell bothers you, email sewerlining@pgh2o.com or call dispatch at 412-255-2423 (press 1). Visit pgh2o.com/sewer-lining for more information. Opt in for Hazelwood project updates by texting 412-202-4445.

Single parents in college

Khalila Brandon is the family success coordinator for Pittsburgh Scholar House. She spoke at the meeting about the nonprofit’s mission and new housing program.

The mission of Pittsburgh Scholar House is to help single parents to “break cycles of poverty and achieve lasting economic mobility through housing, health and wellness, education, employment opportunities, financial stability, wealth-building and strong community connections.” The nonprofit aims to create a future in which single-parent families “thrive, build stability and create lasting prosperity across generations,” Ms. Brandon said.

One of the ways Pittsburgh Scholar House is working toward that future is through its housing program at Woodlawn Lofts, the new development on Hazelwood Green.

The purpose of the housing program is to support single parents who are continuing their education while raising children under 18. The program offers stable housing and meaningful social connections. It also includes guidance and mentorship as well as concrete support that helps the parent and their children develop, Ms. Brandon said.

Parents who join the housing program will pay no more than 30% of their income for a two-bedroom apartment in Hazelwood. They will become part of a community of like-minded parent scholars working to create a prosperous and stable life for themselves and future generations. The program will help reduce financial stress and offer personal and academic guidance.

They will also have access to a study room, a playroom, gym, laundry in the units, an onsite coordinator and a drop-in resource center where scholars can get diapers, wipes, school supplies and other necessities free of charge.

Research and experience have shown that when students get the right kind of help, they go to class more consistently, stay focused on their education and have better mental health, Ms. Brandon said. Pittsburgh Scholar House offers scholars:

• Case management and stabilization planning.

• Monthly onsite community-building activities.

• Financial literacy coaching.

• Career coaching.

The organization’s family-centered programming works to help both parents and children thrive by teaching them about financial literacy, parenting, mental and physical wellbeing, social emotional learning, early literacy and STEM.

Visit pghscholarhouse.org for more information and to apply.

Tree planting project

Contact Lauren Coursey, director of engagement and sustainability for Hazelwood Initiative Inc., if you would like to get involved in tree planting in Hazelwood. Email lcoursey@hazelwoodinitiative.org for information.

Garden workdays

All are invited to the weekly garden and harvesting workdays with Hazelwood Initiative Inc. Community Garden Manager Valerie Testa. Workdays are every Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Hazelwood Community Garden. You can hang out, help harvest, learn a little about the garden and even get some free produce.