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October 19, 2005Report cites company's omissionByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - A subcontractor who didn't install hooks to hold a wall to a tank roof at Grand Traverse County's septage treatment plant will take the blame for its collapse. The county's independent engineer, NTH Consultants, Ltd., said the collapse of the membrane tank wall was caused by the omission of reinforcing hook steel bars atop the walls. "The hook bars were shown on the design drawings, but were omitted during construction," NTH wrote in its interim report to the county. The subcontractor, Farrington Construction of Traverse City, took full responsibility, said Scott Jones of the Christman Company, the project's general contractor. Farrington's representative would not confirm Jones' statement and declined to comment until the company had a chance to review the report. A portion of the new, multi-million-dollar septage facility collapsed June 18, spewing 150,000 gallons of partially treated sewage across the grounds. The missing hooks are pieces of steel rod shaped like an L that are inserted into the top of the poured concrete wall and concrete roof. NTH did not find any hooks in the membrane tank building or in the equalization tank building at the facility. A third tank building contained hooks in some walls but not others. Overall, approximately 400 pieces of steel are missing from the facility, and no one seems to know what happened to them. "That's one of the mysteries of our little play here, where are they," said public works attorney Michael Houlihan, who's directing the county's investigation into the collapse. Despite the large number of missing hooks, no one from Christman or Gourdie-Fraser, the engineering firm that designed the plant, noticed the omission. Bob Forsman, president of Gourdie-Fraser, said it's not their responsibility. "We perform spot inspections but we don't inspect every piece of reinforcing steel; no one does," Jones added. NTH said the tank designs were structurally safe but noted the design did not follow the standard for environmental structures such as wastewater tanks. The standard, ACI-350, provides for long-term durability, water tightness and crack control. "Under the (building) code it's a recommendation, not a requirement," Jones said when asked why ACI-350 wasn't used. Gourdie-Fraser and Christman, however, agreed to make repairs to bring the structures up to the ACI-350 standard. "We paid for a Cadillac and we're getting a Ford," said East Bay Township supervisor Glen Lile, a member of the county sewer and water committee that received the report on Tuesday. The committee intends to meet again to go over the report with NTH after members have had a chance to review it. See Related Stories: Acme Twp. reverses, wants Houlihan removed from septage investigation - October 15, 2005 Septage plant collapse explanation coming - October 15, 2005 County officials back Houlihan in septage plant investigation - October 7, 2005 Septage plant 'debacle' questioned; Supervisor wants all info - October 4, 2005 Public awaits report on collapse of septage plant - September 27, 2005 Taxpayers won't foot bill for septage plant repairs - July 26, 2005 Officials looked for 'spin' in septage plant collapse - July 23, 2005 Septage spill situation becoming muddled, attorney says - July 23, 2005 Septage plant repairs tagged at $2 million - July 19, 2005 Health risk from septage plant failure said minimal - July 19, 2005 Well owners near GT County's septage plant fear contamination - June 25, 2005 GT County's septage treatment plant may reopen - June 22, 2005 Septage plant 'structural failure' is investigated - June 21, 2005 Burst tank rocks GT County's new septage plant - June 19, 2005
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